^^^CHINAMAN 
SEB  HIM 


IKA  M. 
CONDIT 


i 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


Purchased  by  the  Hamill  Missionary  Fund. 


DS  709   .C74  1900 

Condit,   Ira  M. 

The  Chinaman  as  we  see  him 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/chinamanasweseehOOcond_0 


THE  CHINAMAN 
AS  WE  SEE  HIM 

AND 

F  I  1  T  Y  YEARS 

•  OF 

WORK   FOR  HIM 


REV.  IRA  M.  CONDIT,  D.D. 


Fleming  H.  Revell  Company 

Chicago  New  York  Toronto 

Publishers  of  Evangelical  Literature 


COPYRIGHT,  1900,  BY 
FLEMING  H.    RKVELI.  COMPANY 


TO 

MY    DEAR  WIFE 

WHO    HAS   DONE   SO   MUCH    TO  AID 
MK   IN    ALL    liRANCHES  OF 
MY   MISSION  WORK 


PREFACE 


HIS  little  sketch  brings  the  Chinaman 
before  us  as  we  see  him  on  this  side  of 
the  great  Pacific.  He  appears  to  us  in 
this  country  at  a  great  disadvantage. 
One  needs  to  see  him  at  home  to  fully 
appreciate  him.  His  environment  is  so  different 
here  from  what  it  is  in  China,  that  it  is  very  difficult 
to  judge  him  correctly.  There  are  certainly  bad 
things  enough  in  him,  whether  at  home  or  abroad, 
but  alongside  of  these  are  many  noble  and  com- 
mendable qualities.  At  first  glance  the  Japanese 
are  usually  considered  the  superior  race.  The  con- 
trary is,  however,  the  fact;  and  this  is  universally 
acknowledged  by  those  who  have  come  to  know 
both  races  well.  For  capability,  for  reliability,  for 
most  of  the  sterling  qualities  which  make  for  strength 
of  character,  the  Chinese  easily  excel.  They  are 
a  people  who  improve  upon  closer  acquaintance. 
But  China  is  no  hothouse  plant,  and  cannot  be 
forced  to  advance  as  fast  as  we  would  wish.  In  her 
intense  conservatism,  which  is  really  a  sign  of 
strength,  she  must  be  given  time.  Great  bodies 
move  slowly.  When  the  spirit  of  progress  fully 
takes  hold  of  the  Chinese,  as  it  is  already  beginning 
to  do,  the  world  will  be  astonished  at  their  ability  to 

7 


8 


PREFACE 


grasp  new  ideas,  and  at  their  capacity  for  develop- 
ment along  the  various  lines  of  national,  social  and 
industrial  life.  The  Chinaman  going  abroad  has 
been  one  of  the  effective  influences  which  has  started 
her  forward.  It  has  done  much  already  toward 
bringing  her  out  of  her  self-conceit,  which  has 
been  working  her  ruin  more  than  any  other  one 
thing.  Some  one  says,  and  my  experience  corrob- 
orates it,  that  it  is  a  remarkable  and  interesting  fact 
in  their  favor  that  the  more  one  knows  of  this  peo- 
ple the  higher  is  his  opinion  of  them.  I  say  these 
things  to  divest  the  mind  of  the  reader  of  that 
prejudice  against  them  which  so  many  have  formed 
from  what  they  have  seen  and  heard  of  them  in  this 
country. 

Now  that  we  have  moved  our  borders  across  the 
Pacific,  the  Chinese  are  more  than  ever  coming  into 
view;  and  certainly  we  ought  to  seek  to  be  better 
acquainted  with  a  people  who  have  become  our 
near  neighbors.  We  are  more  than  ever  concerned 
in  the  vast  possibilities,  the  material  development, 
and  moral  characteristics  of  this  ancient  people, 
who  are  destined  to  occupy  such  a  prominent  place 
in  the  world's  life.  The  corruptions  of  China,  of 
which  we  hear  so  much,  are  largely  confined  to  the 
ruling  classes.  The  people  themselves  are  a 
healthy,  vigorous,  virile  race,  who  will  undoubtedly 
grow  in  power  and  develop  qualities  of  national  life 
which  the  world  will  be  compelled  to  respect  and 
admire. 

In  writing  this  little  book  I  have  sought  to  avoid 


PREFACE 


9 


tedious,  minor  details,  and  to  bring  out  only  the 
salient  points  in  the  picture.  In  doing  this  I  have 
not  lost  sight  of  the  original  intention  of  the  sketch 
•as  a  narrative  of  the  mission  work  in  which  I  have 
been  engaged  for  thirty  years,  and  which  I  believe 
ought  to  have  a  prominent  place  in  any  account 
which  may  be  written  of  the  Chinese  in  our  land. 

I  am  satisfied  that  there  is  a  place  for  a  book  con- 
taining such  plain,  unvarnished  facts,  and  trust  that 
it  may  help  a  little  in  furnishing  material  for  a 
more  just  view  of  this  little-known  and  much- 
misunderstood  people.  I.  M.  C. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    They  Come  15 

II.  Where  They  Come  From       ....  25 

III.  What  They  Bring  With  Them  .       .       .  -37 

IV.  Opium  Smoking  55 

V.    "Hatchet  Men"  65 

VI.  How  the  Treaties  Were  Kept     ...  76 

VII.  Origin  of  Chinese  Missions  in  America   .       .  go 

VIII.    Steps  in  Advance  loi 

IX.    Education  109 

X.    Chinese  Y.  M.  C.  A  116 

XI.  "Acts  of  the  Apostles"  in  Chinese        .       .  127 

XII.    "So  as  by  Fire"  136 

XIII.  P.  P.  A  144 

XIV.  Churches  and  Chapels  156 

XV.  Native  Sons  and  Daughters     .       .       .  .170 

XVI.    "Hand  Picked"  181 

XVII.    Expansion  187 

XVIII.    Side  Lights  i97 

XIX.    A  Chapter  of  Events  208 

XX.  How  One  Church  was  Built        .       .      .  217 

XXI.    Reflex  Influence  225 

II 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Five  Idols  in  "Holy  of  Holies"  ) 

Frontispiece 

I'AGE 
T  7 

— Made  in  San  Francisco.  ' 

Gambling  Headquarters   .       .       .       .  . 

Vegetable  Peddler  ..... 

Districts  in  Canton  Province.  J/rt/ 

J 

Merchant's  Office  ...... 

27 

Ho  Yow,  Consul-General  at  San  Francisco 

The  Fortune-Teller  

Neng  Yeung  Company  and  Joss  House  . 

33 

Drug  Store  ....... 

JO 

Altar  before  Idol  ...... 

40 

Bazaar  ........ 

±  I 

Funeral  Feast    .  .... 

•AT 

Meal  Time  ....... 

■4j 

On  Guard  ....              .  . 

An 

Bun  Sun  Low  Restaurant  .... 

50 

Kwan  Tai— God  of  War  

51 

Opium  Joint  

•  57 

59 

.  63 

67 

Highbinders'  Headquarters 

.  69 

Actors  

77 

A  Snap  Shot  

.  81 

Opium  Guest  Room  ...... 

85 

The  Old  Mission  House  .  .... 

.  90 

92 

Lee  Kan  ....... 

■  93 

Rev.  A.  W.  Loomis,  D.D. 

96 

12 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Chin  Shing  Sheang  g8 

Rev.  I.  M.  Condit,  D.D  loo 

Carving  of  Heaven,  Earth  and  Sea  103 

Grocery  105 

Bronze  Incense  Urn  110 

A  Glimpse  into  the  Future      ......  112 

A  Christian  Merchant  .        .       .       .       .       .       .  .114 

An  Officer  in  Y.  M.  C.  A  119 

A  Christian  Family       ........  121 

Vegetable  and  Butcher  Shop    ......  125 

Shing  Chack   .  .128 

Rev.  Kwan  Loy        .       .       .       .       .       .       .  .129 

Rev.  Soo  Hoo  Nam  Art  131 

Rev.  Huie  Kin  .........  133 

Rev.  Ng  Poon  Chew     .       .       .       .       .       .       .       -  134 

Rescue  Home    .........  138 

Miss  Margaret  Culbertson   140 

Suffer  the  Little  Children         ......  142 

Out  for  a  Walk      .........  146 

When  Rescued   148 

When  Married       .........  149 

Of  Such  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven       .       .       .       .  151 

A  Bill  of  Sale  153 

Yip  Kim  Yow  158 

Delegates  to  C.  E.  Convention  .  .  .  .  .  -159 
Oakland  Chapel  and  Dwelling         .....  163 

Alameda  Chapel  167 

Native  Sons  and  Daughters     .       .       .       .       .       .  171 

Henry  and  His  Flag     .       .       ......  174 

Sn:all  Foot  and  Shoes  176 

Occidental  School  .       ,       .       .       .       .       .      .  .177 

Happy  Land  183 

First  Chinese  Church  188 

Rev.  A.  J.  Kerr  180 

Son  of  an  Elder    ........  190 

C.  E.  Banner  192 

Throw  Out  the  Life  Line  195 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Cobbler  198 

"It's  niy  Example,  you  know"     ......  201 

"I've  so  awful  bad  temper"     ......  203 

Mrs.  Condit's  Bible  Class      .......  205 

Youngest  King's  Daughter  .       .       .  .210 

\Vu  Ting  Fang,  Chinese  Minister,  wife  and  son  .       .       .  214 
Sun  Neng  Church      .  .  .  .219 

Sun  Neng  Church — Interior         ......  223 

Dragon  Procession  228 


THK  CHINAMAN 
AS    WE    SEE  HIM 


The  Chinaman  As  We  See  Him 

AND 

FIFTY  YEARS  OF  WORK  FOR  HIM 
I 

THEY  COME 

HE  hvig  "Eagle"  arrived  at  San  Francisco 
in  Februaiy,  1848,  with  two  Chinese  men 
and  one  Chinese  woman  on  board.  This 
was  the  advance  guard  of  the  Chinese  to 
our  coast. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  California  a  year  later, 
opened  the  way  for  their  immigration  in  large  num- 
bers. Wild  stories  soon  reached  Canton  of  moun- 
tains of  gold  across  the  Great  Eastern  Ocean,  where 
masses  of  the  precious  metal  were  said  to  be  lying 
everywhere,  and  could  be  freely  picked  up  by  any 
one.  They  called  California  luifu  S/iaft,  "Gold 
Mountain";  and  that  is  the  name  by  which  it  is 
known  among  them  to  this  day. 

Shipmasters  and  merchants  of  Hong  Kong,  by 
false  reports  and  flaming  advertisements,  spread 

IS 


i6      THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  vSEE  HIM 


the  news  of  the  marvelous  abundance  of  gold.  The 
Chinamen  soon  began  to  pour  in  like  a  flood.  In 
the  year  1852  there  were  twenty  thousand  and 
twenty-six  arrivals.  They  continued  to  increase, 
until,  twenty-five  years  later,  not  fewer  than  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  were  estimated  to  be  in 
our  country.  Of  these,  thirty  thousand  were  in  vSan 
Francisco;  about  the  same  number  in  other  parts  of 
the  State  of  California;  and  the  remainder  scattered 
throughout  the  different  States  and  Territories. 

This  was  a  strange  meeting  of  the  Occident  and 
Orient.  Four  thousand  years  ago,  on  the  plains  of 
Western  Asia,  two  brothers  parted.  One  went 
east,  peopling  India,  China  and  Japan.  The  other 
went  west  to  Europe,  thence  across  to  America,  and 
on  to  our  Pacific  vSlope.  When  the  Chinese  came  to 
our  shores,  these  two  brothers  met. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  great  things.  The 
intermingling  of  the  races  of  these  divided  conti- 
nents washed  by  the  waters  of  the  one  mighty 
ocean,  and  of  the  great  islands  with  which  it  is 
studded,  is  destined  to  make  the  Pacific  the  future 
scene  of  immense  commercial  activity.  The  far- 
seeing  William  H.  Seward,  who  secured  Alaska  for 
us,  said  many  years  ago  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  with 
her  islands  and  vast  regions  beyond,  that  it  "will 
become  the  chief  theater  of  events  in  the  world's 
great  hereafter."  The  commingling  of  this  east- 
ward and  westward  flow  of  nations  is  an  event, 
which  not  Sewaid  only,  but  other  great  minds,  long 
predicted  as  momentous  in  its  influence  in  helping 


THEY  COME 


17 


to  uplift  the  races  which  sit  in  darkness.  How 
certainly  is  it  coming!  The  "Far  East"  is  becom- 
ing the  near  West.  Like  a  flash  almost,  we  have 
raised  our  flag  within  six  hundred  miles  of  China; 
and  entered  upon  our  future  destiny  of  planting 
our  organized 
civilization  and 
Christianity  i  n 
the  Philippine 
Islands.  This  is 
a  part  of  the  pro- 
gram which  God 
meant  us  to  carry 
out. 

At  first  the 
Chinaman  was 
welcomed  among 
us.  No  one  ques- 
tioned his  right 
to  come.  H  i  s 
advent  was  re- 
garded as  the 
opening  of  rela- 
tions with  t  h  e 
people  of  the  Ori- 
ent which  meant 

great  things  for  them  and  for  us.  From  this  con- 
tact of  the  newest  and  oldest  nations  of  the  world, 
came  to  the  latter  the  reviving  touch  of  our  fresh 
Western  civilization;  and  the  infusing  of  new  life 
into  their  old,  stagnant  existence ;  while  on  our  side 


GAMBLING  HEADQUARTERS 


i8     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


came  new  openings  for  our  growing  commercial 
and  manufacturing  enterprises,  as  well  as  rare 
opportunities  to  impress  upon  the  people  of  the 
Orient  the  desirability  of  possessing  our  Christian 
civilization. 

At  a  large  representative  gathering  of  San  Fran- 
cisco's best  citizens,  held  in  January,  1853,  the  Hon. 
H.  H.  Haight,  afterwards  Governor  of  the  State, 
offered  the  following  resolutions,  which  were  unani- 
mously adopted : 

"Resolved,  That  the  present  position  of  the 
Oriental  nations  is  fraught  with  the  most  profound 
interest  to  the  Christian  world,  and  that  we,  as 
citizens  of  California,  placed  by  the  wonderful  lead- 
ings of  Providence  so  immediately  in  contact  with 
one  of  the  most  ancient,  intelligent,  and  populous 
of  these  nations,  hail  with  peculiar  satisfaction  the 
'signs  of  the  times';  and  that  we  feel  an  impera- 
tive obligation  to  employ  our  money,  our  influence, 
and  our  utmost  effort,  for  the  welfare  of  that  vast  por- 
tion of  the  human  family — our  elder  brethren — the 
people  of  China. 

"Resolved,  That  we  regard  with  pleasure  the 
presence  of  great  numbers  of  these  people  among 
us,  as  affording  the  best  opportunity  of  doing  them 
good,  and  through  them  of  exerting  our  influence 
upon  their  native  land." 

But  soon  antagonism  arose.  The  first  outbreak 
occurred  in  the  mining  regions,  where  many  of  the 
Chinese  were  living.  It  gradually  spread  to  other 
places.    On  account  of  the  scarcity  of  white  labor  and 


THEY  COME 


•9 


of  the  enormous  wattes  paid,  the  Cliinese  were  found 
indispensable  in  developing  agricultural  interests, 
and  as  laborers  on  our  railroads.  They  became 
invaluable  as  house  servants.  The  laundry  business 
fell  into  their  hands.  They  took  up  cigar  and  slip- 
per making.  All  kinds  of  sewing  machine  work 
were  monopolized  in  a  great  measure  by  them. 


VEGETAliLE  i'EUDLEK 


They  were  so  industrious,  so  frugal  in  living,  and  so 
economical  in  their  habits,  that  they  could  afford  to 
work  for  low  wages.  They  did  not  have  the  brawny 
muscle  of  the  white  laborers,  and  were  not  as  rapid 
in  their  movements,  but  they  compensated  for  that 
by  their  constant,  patient  endurance.  They  did  not 
get  drunk  and  fight,  and  could  be  depended  upon 
for  steady  work.    In  heavy  labor  they,  in  the  end, 


20     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


accomplished  more  than  their  white  competitors, 
and  in  more  skilled  industries,  such  as  cigarmaking 
for  example,  they  could  turn  out  work  equal  to 
the  best.  Their  cigars  took  rank  with  the  finest 
imported  Havanas.  In  this  way,  we  can  easily  see 
how  antagonisms  came  about,  As  white  labor 
increased,  the  conflict  grew,  and  prejudice  against 
the  Chinaman  deepened. 

And  yet,  while  "Chinese  cheap  labor"  has  been 
the  main  cry  raised  against  them,  it  is  not  a  true 
charge.  Labor  in  California  is  not  cheap,  and  never 
has  been.  Labor  of  all  kinds  has  always  been,  and 
still  is,  dearer  than  in  the  Eastern  States.  In  early 
days,  when  wages  were  enormously  high,  the 
Chinese  were  the  first  to  pour  in  and  i  educe  them 
to  something  like  their  natural  level,  and  white 
men  raised  the  cry  of  "Chinese  cheap  labor."  Had 
the  Irish,  German,  or  Italian  laborers  come  instead 
of  the  Chinese,  the  effect  would  have  been  the  same ; 
that  is,  wages  would  have  fallen;  but,  instead  of 
the  intense  animosity  which  has  been  felt  against 
the  Chinaman  for  bringing  about  this  reduction,  the 
change  would  have  been  regarded  as  natural. 

A  careful  study  of  the  situation  does  not  lead  one 
to  object  logically  to  the  Chinese  on  economic 
grounds.  No  reasonable  person  refuses  to  use 
articles  because  they  are  produced  cheaply.  There 
seem  to  be  other  and  deeper  reasons  which  account 
for  the  feelings  cherished  towards  these  strangers 
within  our  gates. 

Neither  will  race-prejudice  alone  account  for  this 


THEY  COME 


31 


antagonism.  The  feeling  against  the  Chinaman  is 
more  bitter  and  intolerant  than  that  against,  the 
Negro.  The  Chinaman  certainly  has  the  advantage 
of  the  Negro  in  very  many  respects;  and  yet,  how 
many  feel  kindly  toward  the  Negro,  who  will  hardly 
look  on  a  Chinaman  as  human,  and  as  possessed  of 
an  immortal  soul! 

There  seems  to  be  a  combination  of  reasons  which 
breed  and  keep  alive  this  animosity  against  our 
Mongolian  brothers.  Race  antagonism  has  un- 
doubtedly something  to  do  with  it,  but  the  fact  that 
they  do  not  assimilate  with  us,  has  more.  They 
constitute  a  foreign  substance  cast  into  our  social 
order,  which  will  not  mingle,  but  keeps  up  a  con- 
stant irritation.  The  amount  of  irritation  depends 
upon  the  size  of  the  disturbing  mass  A  few  China- 
men would  have  no  perceptible  effect.  They  could 
be  easily  digested  by  the  national  stomacli.  Even 
a  hundred  thousand,  or  several  times  that  number, 
would  have  no  serious  influence.  But  multiply 
units  by  millions,  and  the  matter  becomes  exceed- 
ingly serious.  Hence  the  fear  of  their  pouring  in 
upon  lis  in  overwhelming  crowds  has  had  much  to 
do  with  our  attitude  toward  them.  It  never  has 
been  so  much  the  number  of  Chinese  actually  among 
us  which  has  aroused  bitter  opposition,  as  the  fear 
of  what  might  be.  More  immigrants  have  come 
from  Europe  in  two  months  time  than  have  come 
from  China  in  the  past  fifty  years.  Add  to  this  fear 
of  an  Oriental  invasion  the  fact  that  the  Chinese 
bring 'with  them  so  many  of  the  worst  features  of 


22      THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


their  old,  superannuated  civilization.  Their  debas- 
ing vices,  the  importation  of  slave  women,  the  false 
belief  that  they  are  coolie  slaves,  the  distinctive 
isolation  and  non-assimilative  attitude  in  which  they 
stand,  and,  added  to  all,  the  Chinatown  in  San 
Francisco  to  which  they  have  given  birth,  and  which 
forms  such  a  dark  blot  on  the  body  of  our  fair  city, 
account  to  some  extent  for  the  feeling  of  bitter  hos- 
tility which  exists  towards  them. 

Nothing  has  done  so  much  to  counteract  all  this, 
as  the  direct  Christian  influence  that  has  been 
brought  to  bear  upon  them.  Aside  from  any  ben- 
efit that  may  have  come  from  contact  with  our 
civilization  the  positive  instruction  which  they  have 
received,  the  hundreds  who  have  been  converted, 
the  thousands  who  have  been  educated  and  lifted  up 
by  missionary  work,  the  Christian  homes  which 
have  been  established  with  their  refining  influence, 
have  done  more  for  the  Chinese  than  many  realize. 
This,  we  hope  in  some  measure  to  prove. 


II 


WHERE  THEY  COME  FROM 

MIGRATION  is,  with  the  Chinese,  no 
new  thing.  They  have  gone  into  all  the 
countries  bordering  on  the  China  sea. 
Siam  has  two  and  a  half  millions  of  them. 
Manila,  on  the  Island  of  Luzon,  has  forty 
thousand  pure  Chinese  and  fifty  thousand  half-castes. 
In  Singapoie  they  form  a  large  and  influential 
portion  of  the  community.  Two-thirds  of  the  real 
estate  is  owned  by  them.  Fifty  thousand  Chinese 
arrived  in  Singapore  from  China  in  three  months, 
from  whence  they  were  distributed  throughout  the 
various  surrounding  settlements.  They  are  found 
in  Burma,  Borneo,  Java,  Saigon,  Korea,  and  Japan. 
In  all  these  regions,  they  are  the  merchants  and 
traders.  By  their  superior  enterprise  and  energy, 
they  have  pushed  into  the  background  the  indolent 
and  shiftless  natives  of  most  of  those  lands.  But 
they  have  gone  further  afield  than  this,  and  are 
found  in  large  numbers  in  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  in 
the  West  Indies,  British  Guiana,  Australia,  Peru, 
and  the  United  States. 

Nearly  all  these  emigrants  are  from  the  one  prov- 
25 


26     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


ince  of  Canton.  The  only  exceptions  are  those 
found  in  Siam,  and  at  a  few  other  points.  These 
are  mostly'  fi-om  the  Fuhkien  province.  In  all  of 
my  thirty  years  among  this  people  in  California,  I 
have  never  met  with  half  a  dozen  from  Northern 
or  Central  China.  Not  only  are  they  all  from  the 
Canton  province,  they  are  from  seven  or  eight 
districts  or  counties  of  that  province;  and  for  the 
most  part  from  the  four  of  these  districts  contiguous 
to  the  sea  coast. 

This  region  from  which  the  Chinese  have  come  is 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  to  be  foiind  in  all  the 
world.  The  delta,  extending  from  Hong  Kong  to 
Canton,  and  lying  between  the  Pearl  and  West 
rivers,  is  ninety  miles  long  and  some  fiftj'  miles 
wide  at  the  sea.  It  is  intersected  in  every  direc- 
tion by  creeks  and  canals,  so  there  is  not  a  city, 
town,  or  village,  which  cannot  be  reached  by  boat. 
Most  of  this  delta  is  composed  of  rich,  level  plains 
which  produce,  twice  a  year,  wonderful  crops  of 
rice.  The  higher  portion  is  devoted  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  mulberry  shrub,  and  to  the  raising  of 
silkworms. 

Thickly  sown  over  this  fertile  region  are  towns 
and  villages,  varying  in  population  from  one  thou- 
sand to  several  hundred  thousand.  Among  these  is 
the  famous  town,  Kow  Kong,  south  of  Canton,  which, 
within  an  area  of  some  six  miles  square,  has  a  million 
of  people.  Canton  has  a  million  and  a  half.  Fatshan, 
fifteen  miles  away,  and  called  "the  Birmingham  of 
China,"  has  half  a  million.    Ch'an  Tsun,  twenty 


WHERE  TIIEY  COME  FROM 


27 


miles  south  of  Canton,  has  one  hundred  thousand. 
Several  other  cities  have  an  eejual  population. 
C6minj>-  down  into  the  southern  part  of  the  delta,  in 
the  Heung  Shan  district,  its  principal  city,  Siu 
Lam,  has  upwards  of  three  hundred  lliousaud  souls. 

Crossing  the 
deep,  broad  West 
River,  from  the 
delta,  we  come  to 
another  wonderful 
region.  Here  we 
find  the  Sun  Ui 
River,  which,  with 
its  branches, 
drains  the  districts 
of  Sun  Ui,  Sun 
Neng,  Hoi  Peng, 
Yun  Peng  and 
HokShan.  These, 
with  the  ex(;eption 
of  Hok  Shan,  are 
the  districts  from 
which  the  great 
body  of  our  Chi- 
nese have  ctime 
Sun  Ui,  one  of 
the  largest  cities  of  this  district,  has  three  hun- 
dred thousand  inhabitants.  Kong  Mun,  a  large 
commercial  center,  has  one  huiidred  thousand  more. 
The  plains  through  which  the  Sun  Ui  River  flows 
are  covered  with  cities,  villages,  and  market  towns. 


MERCHAM'  .S  OFFICE 


28     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


These  market  towns  are  the  business  centers;  while 
the  homes  of  the  people  are  in  the  villages  that  sur- 
round them.  My  assistant  pastor,  whose  home  is  in 
a  village  near  the  great  market  town  of  Chick  Horn, 
says  that  at  night,  when  it  is  still,  he  can  stand,  and, 
calling  with  a  loud  voice,  be  heard  in  twenty  vil- 
lages, no  one  of  which  contains  fewer  than  a  thou- 
sand people.  Dr.  Henry  tells  of  a  famous  hill  near 
Chick  Hom,  from  whose  top  can  be  seen  thiee 
hundred  and  fifty  villages,  averaging  not  fewer  than 
two  thousand  souls  each.  This  is  but  one  flash-light 
picture,  showing  how  innumerable  the  people  are. 

The  dialect  spoken  by  this  vast  multitude  is,  in 
general,  the  Cantonese,  with  variations  of  pronunci- 
ation which  grow  up  among  tliose  who,  generation 
after  generation,  are  born,  live  and  die  on  the  same 
spot.  Those  living  a  hundred  miles  from  Canton 
have  a  veiy  different  pronunciation,  and  yet  they 
can  understand  each  other.  Still  the  difference  is 
so  marked  that  one  is  called  the  Sam  Yiip  IVa,  "the 
three  district  dialect,  and  the  other  the  Sz  Ynp  IVa, 
"the  four  district  dialect."  The  former  embraces 
Nam  Hoi,  Pun  Yu,  and  Shun  Tuk,  the  three  dis- 
tricts in  and  about  Canton;  and  the  latter  the  four 
districts  farther  away. 

The  Chinese  are  not  divided  into  castes,  and  have 
no  rigid  social  order  which  divides  them  into  fixed 
classes.  The  word  "coolie"  is  a  Hindoo  word,  and 
should  never  have  been  inflicted  upon  the  Chinese. 
Even  as  used  it  belongs  to  them  only  as  laborers,  and 
not  as  slaves  in  any  real  sense  of  the  word.  Chinese 


WHERE  THEY  COME  FROM 


31 


women  are  held  and  imported  as  slaves,  but  no  such 
thing  as  slavery  is  known  among  men.  In  all  cases 
they  have  come  here  voluntarily.  It  is  true,  that 
formerly  many  were  brought  by  contract,  as  thou- 
sands of  other  people  were.  Being  very  poor,  their 
expenses  were  paid,  and  an  agreement  was  entered 
into  on  their  part  that  they  would  refund  the  money 
by  giving  a  certain  per  cent  of  their  wages  until  all 
was  paid.  This  being  contrary  to  our  existing  laws, 
none  have  come  for  years  as  contract  laborers. 

It  used  to  be  charged,  and  is  still  believed  by 
some,  that  the  famous  Six  Companies  imported 
large  numbers  of  coolie-slaves.  Never  was  charge 
moi-e  false.  What  are  the  Six  Companies?  They 
arose  in  this  way.  It  is  the  custom  of  the  Chinese, 
when  any  considerable  number  of  them  emigrate, 
to  unite  together  as  an  Ui  Kun,  guild,  or  mutual-aid 
society,  with  a  tong,  or  hall  for  their  headquarters. 
As  the  Chinese  came  from  different  districts,  each 
group  formed  its  own  Company,  claiming  as  its 
members  all  who  came  from  a  certain  district.  The 
three  districts  in  and  about  Canton,  are,  however, 
represented  by  only  one  Company,  as  they  are  but 
few  in  number.  This  is  called  the  Sam  Yup  Com- 
pany. The  other  districts  are  represented  by  five 
Companies,  the  Kong  Chow,  Neng  Yeung,  Hop 
Wo,  Yeung  Wo,  and  Shiu  Heng.  The  Neng  Yeung 
Company,  covering  the  Sun  Neng  district,  is  by  far 
the  largest,  including  one-third  or  more  of  all  the 
Chinese  in  this  country. 

These  Six  Companies  ar?  somewhat  of  the  nature 


32.    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


of  benevolent  societies.  In  the  early  days  of  Cali- 
fornia the}^  were  useful.  The  emigrants,  as  they 
arrived,  were  taken  to  the  Company  houses,  and 
lodged  there  until  they  found  wrjrk.  The  helpless 
poor  were  cared  for,  and  the  bones  of  the  dead  were 

sent  back  to  China 
for  burial.  Now 
nearly  all  who 
come  have  per- 
sonal friends  with 
whom  they  stay, 
and  to  whom  they 
look  for  needed 
help;  and  their 
bones  are  found 
to  rest  quite  com- 
fortably in  this 
country,  at  least 
the  bones  of  those 
who  have  be- 
come freed  from 
heathen  i  n  f  1  u  - 
ences.  The  Com- 
panies are  d  i  s  - 
posed  to  do  much 
in  the  way  of 
defending  the  rights  of  their  people,  standing  as 
their  representatives,  and  settling  differences  which 
are  constantly  arising.  They  are  in  a  large 
measure  the  guardians  of  the  ancestral  idol  wor- 
ship.   Every  Ui  Tong  has  a  temple,  or  joss  house, 


[IIK  FORTUNE  TELLER 


NENG  YEUiNG  COMPANY  A.NU  JoSS  IIOUSK 


33 


WHERE  THEY  COME  FROM  35 


where  the  people  of  their  respective  districts  go  to 
worship. 

Since  the  eastablishment  of  a  Chinese  Consulate 
at  San  Francisco,  the  duties  of  the  Six  Companies 
have  been  restricted,  and  many  of  them  are  now 
transacted  at  the  Consulate.  The  present  Consul 
General  is  Ho  Yow.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  law 
department  of  Oxford  College,  and  is  a  highly- 
educated,  polished  gentleman.  His  father  was  for 
many  years  a  prominent  Christian  in  Hong  Kong, 
and  identified  himself  with  every  good  and  pro- 
gressive movement  there.  Mr.  Ho  Yow  has  been 
much  interested  in  a  Sanitarium  for  Chinese  in  San 
Francisco,  and  has  been  mainly  instrumental  in 
securing  the  funds  for  it.  He  is  the  author  of 
several  able  articles,  which  have  appeared  in  "The 
Forum. " 

The  only  real  power  which  the  Six  Companies 
now  hold  is  that  of  preventing  any  person  from 
returning  to  China  without  a  permit  issued  by  them, 
showing  that  they  are  not  running  away  from  debts 
or  claims  against  them,  and  that  they  have  paid 
the  dues  which  each  Company  demands.  These  fees, 
which  are  their  only  source  of  income,  aggregate 
a  large  sum  of  money.  This  fund  is  used  ostensibly 
to  meet  the  official  business,  but  it  goes  largely  to 
enrich  the  leaders,  and  to  support  the  idolatrous 
institutions. 

The  Christian  Chinese  could  not  conscientiously 
pay  these  dues  which  were  demanded  of  them,  and 
they  refused  all  connection  with  the  Companies. 


36      THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


Hence  Christian  Associations  of  their  own  have 
been  formed.  These  take  the  place  of  the  Com- 
panies, and  issue  their  own  permits,  which  prevent 
any  person  from  interfering  with  the  holder's  right 
to  go  aboard  the  steamer  when  returning  home. 
The  Six  Companies  have  been  obliged  to  acknowl- 
edge their  existence,  and  so  do  not  attempt  to  exact 
dues  from  the  members  of  these  Associations. 

The  immigration  of  the  Chinese  to  all  the  various 
coiintries  whither  they  have  gone,  has  had  no  ele- 
vating effect  upon  them — except  it  be  in  the  r-olitary 
instance  of  their  contact  with  us.  In  some  slight 
measure  they  have  felt  the  uplifting  power  of  West- 
ern Civilization,  and  the  influence  of  our  Chiistian 
religion.  Wherever  else  they  have  gone  the  unique 
home  life,  the  abounding  vices,  and  the  pagan 
practices  which  they  have  carried  with  them  have 
remained  unmodified  by  the  touch  of  loftier  ideals. 


Ill 


WHAT  THEY  BRING  WITH  THEM 

T  is  possible  to  visit  China  without  crossing 
the  Pacific.  The  greater  part  of  fifteen 
blocks,  composing  San  Francisco's  Chi- 
nese colony,  reflects  so  accurately  the 
life  of  China,  that  by  going  through  them 
one  can  easily  imagine  himself  in  the  heart  of  the 
old  Empire.  The  streets  are  wider  than  their  deni- 
zens were  accustomed  to  at  home,  and  instead  of 
looking  off  to  the  mountains  and  the  Great  Wall,  as 
they  did  in  China,  they  have  for  their  outlook 
Kearney  Street,  with  its  fashionable  stores,  on  the 
east,  and  the  aristocratic  homes  of  Nob  Hill  on  the 
west.  The  houses  of  Chinatown  were,  in  the  early 
days  of  San  Francisco,  the  finest  in  the  city,  and 
were  occupied  by  her  best  people.  They  have  long 
since  been  abandoned  to  the  occupancy  of  the  Chi- 
nese; and  to  look  upon  them  as  transformed  under 
their  iconoclastic  hands  tells  a  pathetic  story  of  the 
contrast  between  the  days  that  are  and  the  days 
long  gone  by. 

The  streets  swarm  with  men,  women,  and  children 
all  talking  in  the  jargon  of  their  own  country. 
Every  shop  and  store  has  its  gaudily-painted  sign  in 

37 


38     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


flaming  Chinese  characters.  Chinese  lanterns  hang 
everywhere,  and  are  marvelous  in  the  -variety  of 
their  size  and  hue,  the  strangeness  of  their  shape, 
and  weirdness  of  their  curiously-painted  designs, 
making  them  always  quaint  and  pleasing  to  the  eye. 
The  sidewalks  are  lined  with  stalls  where  fruits, 
edibles,  and  goods  of  known  and  unknown  kinds. 


DRUG  STORE 


are  exposed  for  sale ;  with  every  nook  and  corner 
occupied  by  tailors,  shoemakers,  and  other  artisans. 
The  odors  which  greet  you  are  as  numerous  as  the 
doors  you  pass,  and  are  beyond  the  power  of  any 
connoisseur  of  smells  to  analyze.  A  Chinese  smell 
has  been  humorously  described  as  a  "mixture  and 
a  puzzle,  a  marvel  and  a  wonder,  a  mystery  and  a 
disgust,  but  nevertheless  a  palpable  fact." 


WHAT  THEY  BRING  WITH  THEM  39 


The  drug  stores  are  an  interesting  and  curious 
study.  The  proprietor  is  often  a  doctor.  He  may 
be  seen  wearing  lai-ge- rimmed  glasses  and  present- 
ing a  mysterious,  but  knowing  expression  of  counte- 
nance, while  he  is  preparing  a  prescription  of 
ground  lizards,  beetles,  cockroaches,  skins  of  cater- 
pillars, bones  of  snakes,  all  mixed  with  the  blood  of 
toads.  Deer  horns  are  a  favorite  remedy  for  seri- 
ous maladies,  and  hot  decoctions  of  herbs  for  minor 
diseases.  Ginseng,  a  drug  which  is  thought  to  be  a 
veritable  fountain  of  youth,  is  found  in  every  drug 
store,  and  is  much  sought  after  by  the  old  people. 
Ginseng  is  cultivated  in  the  northern  parts  of  Asia, 
and  in  some  places  in  America,  and  is  becoming  a 
large  item  in  the  trade  of  the  United  States  with 
China.  The  Chinese  doctor  divides  diseases  and 
their  remedies  into  two  clas.ses,  hot  and  cold.  If 
there  is  too  much  heat  in  the  body  they  use  cathar- 
tics, if  too  much  cold,  they  employ  hot  doses.  They 
know  nothing  of  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  but 
distinguish  twenty-four  kinds  of  pulse. 

As  one  passes  along  the  streets  of  Chinatown, 
every  window  of  every  store  is  filled  with  the  same 
assortment  of  goods  that  I  was  wont  to  see  in  Canton. 
There  is  a  predominance  of  fancy  stores,  where 
satsuma,  cloisonne,  and  real  old  Chinese  wares  may 
be  had,  provided  the  taste  is  sufficiently  aesthetic 
and  the  purse  sufficiently  long.  There  are  meat 
shops  galore,  where  entrails  are  so  much  in  evidence 
that  one  wonders  why  some  meat  inspector  does 
not,  for  sanitary  reasons,  prohibit  the  sale  of  such 


40     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


revolting  intestinal  displays.  Vegetables  are  found 
in  every  street,  and  a  large  variety  of  native  vege- 
tables are  exposed  for  sale  at  good  prices,  and  not 
alone  to  gratify  the  curiosity  of  tourists.  Bean 
curd,  salted  egg,  rice  cakes,  and  various  kinds  of 
white  turnips,  and  cornucopia-shaped  beans,  are 
important  parts  of  these  street  displays.    The  Chi- 


ALTAR   BEFORK  IDOL 


nese  import  their  own  kinds  of  food  from  China, 
cook  it  in  tlieir  own  peculiar  way,  and  eat  it  in  a 
way  not  less  peculiar — namely,  with  chopsticks. 

Their  signboards  are  a  curious  study.  They  do 
not  bear  the  names  of  the  persons  composing  the 
firms,  but  fanciful  names.  They  are  often  quite 
poetical,  containing  some  beautiful  sentiment.  Over 


WHAT  THEY  BRING  WITH  THEM  41 


the  stores  we  read  sis^ns  such  as  these:  Kwong  On 
Cheung,  "Extensive  peace  and  affluence";  Man 
Li,  "Ten  thousand  profits";  Fuk  Wo,  "Happiness 
and  liarmony";  Wa  Yun,  "The  flowery  fountain." 
The  vertical  signs  of  the  drug  stores  lead,  "Hall  of 
joyful  relief";  "Vast  age  hall,"  etc.  Butchers' 
stores  have  this  sign,  "We  receive  the  golden  hogs." 


B.\Z.'\AR 


Some  cigar  makers'  signs  read,  "Abounding  happi- 
ness" ;  "Fountain  of  the  most  excellent, "  etc.  On 
the  windows  where  opium  is  dealt  out  may  be  read, 
"Foreign  smoke  in  broken  parcels";  "No.  2  opium 
sold  at  all  times."  This  No.  2  is  what  is  scraped 
from  pipes  after  being  once  used,  and  sold  to  those 
who  cannot  afford  the  fresh  article.  In  the  stores' 
and  shops  are  scrolls  hanging  on  the  walls,  contain- 


42     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


ing  such  sentiments  as  these,  "Let  the  four  seasons 
abound  in  prosperity."  "Wealth  arising  like  the 
bubbling  spring.  "  "Customers  coming  like  clouds.  " 
Over  the  doors  of  dwellings  may  be  seen,  "Let  the 
Five  Blessings  come  to  this  door."  In.side  the 
dwelling  may  be  found,  "May  good  fortune  fill  the 
house."  At  the  stairway  is  the  motto,  "Ascending 
and  descending  in  peace  and  safety." 

The  Chinese  undoubtedl}'  appreciate  the  senti- 
ment of  their  signs  and  mottoes.  When  merchants 
meet  for  business,  they  do  not  immediately  plunge 
into  it,  but  begin  with  tea  drinking  and  smoking, 
often  making  remarks  regarding  the  scrolls  on  the 
walls.  While  they  come  far  short  of  these  good 
maxims  and  lofty  sentiments,  they  certainly  are  not 
without  an  elevating  effect  upon  their  lives. 

Their  restaurants  are  notable  institutions.  They 
are  three-story  buildings,  having  balconies  gaily 
painted  and  gilded,  with  an  array  of  great  lanterns 
hanging  in  rows.  Within  are  found  furniture  and 
carved  partitions  imported  from  China.  These  are 
the  high-toned  restaurants,  where  the  Chinese  go 
to  elaborate  dinners  and  feasts  of  many  courses, 
which  are  both  dull  and  tedious.  There  is  no  "feast 
of  reason  and  the  flow  of  soul."  The  patrons  of 
these  establishments  are  simply  animals  feeding 
with  much  parade  and  formality. 

Besides  these  palaces  for  the  elite  there  are  many 
cheap  eating  houses.  These  are  mostly  below  the 
streets,  in  cellars.  The  merchants  have  their  own 
kitchens,  and  make  a  dining  room  of  their  stores. 


WHAT  THEY  BRING  WITH  THEM  43 


Their  meat  and  vegetables  are  hashed,  or  cut  into 
small  pieces,  and  are  brought  to  the  table  in  a  com- 
mon dish,  from  which  each  one  helps  himself  with 
his  chopsticks.  It  is  the  usual  custom  to  have  two 
meals  a  day,  one  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  the  other 
late  in  the  afternoon. 

The  Chinese  have  their  own  barber  shops,  where 


!■  I  M.KAL  FEAST 


the  head,  forehead,  and  thin  beard  of  their  faces  are 
shaved,  their  ears  scraped,  their  eyeballs  cleaned, 
their  backs  pounded,  and  their  cues  combed  and 
braided  with  silk  to  make  them  the  required  length. 
The  cue  is  universal  in  China.  It  was  introduced 
between  two  and  three  centuries  ago  by  the  Tartars, 
when  they  subdued  China;  and  is  a  badge  of  subjec- 
tion, required  in  former  times  by  law  under  pain  of 


44     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  vSEE  HIM 


death.  The  wearing  of  it  has  grown  to  be  simply 
a  national  custom.  There  is  no  religious  signifi- 
cance whatever  connected  with  its  use.  Some  peo- 
ple think  that  only  Christian  Chinamen  cut  off  the 
cue,  cease  to  shave  the  head,  and  adopt  American 
dress.  This  is  a  mistake.  Man}'  who  are  far 
enough  from  being  Christians  have  done  this.  As 
I  said,  it  is  now  a  universal  custom,  and  to  live  in 
China  without  the  cue  would  be  impossible.  Those 
who  have  dispensed  with  it  in  this  country,  before 
they  return  home  let  their  hair  grow  so  as  to  put  it 
on  again.  If  they  would  adopt  our  style  of  dress 
while  living  here,  they  would  be  accorded  much 
better  treatment;  and  they  are  beginning  to  see 
this.  Yet  so  extremely  conservative  are  thej^  that 
it  takes  a  long  time  for  any  change  of  custom  to 
affect  them. 

The  Chinese  bring  their  own  theaters  with  them, 
as  they  are  extremel}^  fond  of  the  drama.  Most  of 
their  plays  represent  historical  scenes  of  past  dynas- 
ties, and  it  often  takes  weeks  and  even  months  to 
complete  one  play  A  theatrical  troop  performed 
in  Los  Angeles  for  the  special  benefit  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  gieat  National  Teachers'  Convention 
which  met  there,  a  play,  representing  in  three  acts 
a. scene  of  two  thousand  years  ago;  viz.,  a  contest 
by  different  kings  for  the  possession  of  China,  It 
was  very  much  enjoyed  by  those  who  witnessed  it. 

The  orchestra  of  cymbals,  gongs,  and  screeching 
fiddles  is  something  fearful.  The  audience  sit  with 
their  hats  on,  watching  the  progress  of  the  drama, 


WHAT  THEY  BRING  WITH  THEM  45 


with  its  occasional  terrible  conflicts  and  lecord  of 
valorous  deeds.  They  come  and  go  at  will,  paying 
according  to  the  time  they  are  present.  The  scenes 
are  all  of  a  serious  character.  No  applause  .of  any 
sort  is  ever  indulged  in.  Actors  are  gorgeously 
dressed  in  the  costume  of  the  times  which  they 
represent;  and  no  women  are  ever  allowed  to  take 


.MhAL  11. Ml'. 


any  part  in  the  performance.  The  female  charac- 
ters are  represented  by  young  men  who  are  carefully 
made  up  to  resemble  women ;  and  who  speak  in  a 
most  distressingly  shrill  and  squeaky  voice. 

The  Chinese  have  also  brought  over  the  custom  of 
celebrating  their  own  New  Year.  One-half  of  their 
months  have  twenty-nine  days  and  one-half  thirty 
days,  corresponding  as  nearly  as  possible  to  one 


46     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


complete  revolution  of  the  moon.  In  this  way  they 
lose  about  ten  days  each  year;  to  make  up  for  which 
each  third  year  has  an  intercalary  month.  For  this 
reason  their  New  Year  occurs  sometimes  in  Janu- 
ary and  sometimes  in  February. 

Chinatown,  during  this  season,  puts  on  its  gayest 
attire,  and  looks  more  like  an  oriental  city  than  at 
any  other  time.  Days  are  spent  in  preparation  for 
this  festival.  The  homes  are  thoroughly  cleaned. 
The  mottoes  in  inscriptions  are  renewed.  Fresh 
tinsel,  and  colored  bunting,  and  lanterns  of  every 
size  and  color  and  design  hang  everywhere.  The 
streets  are  aglow  with  holiday  trappings.  All  busi- 
ness is  abandoned  for  the  time.  Every  street  and 
alley  is  thronged  with  men,  clad  in  their  finest 
holiday  silks  and  satins.  Throwing  aside  all  care 
and  anxiety  they  give  themselves  up  to  social  cere- 
monies and  sports,  making  this  season  of  all  others 
the  most  joyous.  All  the  people  are  deeply  stirred 
by  the  excitement  of  the  occasion,  and  give  them- 
selves up  to  its  festivities  with  true  oriental 
abandon. 

At  the  early  dawn  of  New  Year's  morning,  calling 
is  begun.  The  custom  of  visiting  friends  and  rela- 
tives on  this  day  is  universally  observed.  Each  one 
has  a  folded  red  paper  card  to  leave  at  the  house 
where  he  calls.  Light  refreshments  are  offered, 
and  the  salutation  of  the  season,  Kinig  hi  fat  tsoy 
la,  "Respectfully  wish  you  joy  and  riches,"  are 
given  and  received.  If  friends  meet  on  the  street, 
they  bow  very  low  and  shake  their  own  hands,  The 


WHAT  THEY  BRING  WITH  THEM  47 


roar  of  fire-crackers  and  bombs,  the  clanging  of 
gongs  and  the  beating  of  drums,  is  incessant.  It  is 
carried  just  as  far  as  the  city  authorities  will  allow. 
The  Chinamen  believe  in  noise  to  chase  away  all  the 
bad  spirits  which  have  gathered  during  the  year,  so 
that  the  new  year  may  be  begun  free  from  any  evil 
influence.  The  lights  at  night  present  an  appear- 
ance both  brilliant  and  artistic.  The  streets  are  not 
so  crowded  as  in  the  day,  but  indoors  all  is  life  and 
gaiety.  Feasting,  playing,  and  oriental  amuse- 
ments of  many  kinds,  are  engaged  in,  while  work 
and  sleep  are  banished  for  the  time.  The  theaters, 
restaurants,  opium  dens,  and  gambling  rooms  are 
packed  with  eager  throngs  on  pleasure  bent. 

The  Chinese  retain  the  funeral  rites  practiced  in 
China.  Dying  men  are  often  found  in  outhouse's, 
and  in  rooms  holding  the  bones  of  the  dead  packed 
away  for  shipment  home.  The  Chinamen  are  very 
superstitious  about  persons  dying  in  their  houses, 
being  afraid  lest  their  spirits  should  haunt  the  room. 
The  bodies  of  friends  who  die  are  dressed  in  their 
best  clothes,  or  in  suits  prepared  on  purpose,  and 
laid  on  the  coffin,  not  in  it.  Provisions  are  spread 
out  to  feed  the  spirit  of  the  deceased,  and  to  appease 
other  hungry  spirits  who  may  be  hovering  about. 
Friends  gather  around  the  bier  and  wail  in  sorrow- 
ful tones,  and  often  hire  mourners  to  chant  the 
praises  of  the  dead.  When  the  ceremonies  are  over 
the  body  is  placed  in  the  coffin,  and  borne  to  the 
cemetery.  A  son  can  present  no  more  acceptable 
present  to  a  father  than  a  nice  coffin,  which  is 


48     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


sacredly  preserved  in  the  house  until  needed  by  the 
owner.  Coffins  are  often  kejjt  for  years  before  they 
are  used.  Children  often  walk  barefooted  behind 
the  hearse  of  a  parent,  dressed  in  long  white  robes 
(white  being  one  of  their  mourning  colors)  bowed  to 
the  ground  with  grief.  Strips  of  brown  paper, 
pierced  with  holes,  and  representing  money,  are 
scattered  along  the  road  to  buy  off  bad  spirits  which 
may  be  hovering  near.  After  the  burning  of  in- 
cense, and  paper  clothing,  and  the  performing  of 
other  ceremonies  at  the  grave,  the  friends  hurry 
back  with  the  food  which  was  taken  to  the  cemetery, 
and  feast  upon  provisions  which  were  avowedly  pre- 
pared to  appease  the  hunger  of  the  departed  spirits. 

In  happy  contrast  with  these  elaborate  and  hollow 
ceremonies  are  the  simple  and  impressive  rites  con- 
nected with  the  funerals  of  our  converts  when  any 
of  them  are  called  from  the  toils  of  earth  to  the  rest 
of  heaven. 

The  Chinese  bring  two  great  vices  with  them — 
opium  smoking,  and  gambling.  Touching  the  for- 
mer I  will  speak  in  a  separate  chapter. 

The  gambling  houses  are  found  principally  in 
alleys,  and  are  distinguishable  by  their  freshly- 
painted  vestibules,  heavy  doors,  and  zigzag  pas- 
sages. A  man  is  always  seen  standing  in  front  as  a 
watchman,  to  warn  those  within  by  pulling  a  string 
if  danger  is  near,  so  that  by  the  time  the  police 
reach  the  place,  all  have  escaped  by  dark,  secret  pas- 
sages known  only  to  themselves.  Report  says  that 
if  weekly  dues  are  paid,  police  raids  are  not  to  be 


WHAT  THEY  BRING  WITH  THEM  49 


greatly  feared.  That  such  glaring  violations  of 
our  laws  should  be  allowed  to  go  on  is  a  sad 
commentary  on  the  unfaithfulness  of  our  reputed 
guardians  of  the  city.  For  a  time  these  bold 
gambling  games 
were  almost  sup- 
pressed. To  evade 
the  law,  these  dens 
are  now  turned 
into  so-called 
social  and  literary 
clubs;  so  that  one 
in  passing  along 
the  street  may 
read,  "Chinese 
Merchants'  Club," 
"Pacific  Asiatic 
Association," 
"Canton  Literary 
and  Social  Club," 
and  other  titles  of 
similar  import.  It 
is  estimated  that 
there  are  at  pres- 
ent sixty  g  a  m  - 
bling  houses,  and 

eight    lottery    headquarters    in    San  Francisco. 

The  Chinese  bring  their  idolatry  with  them.  They 
set  up  their  heathen  temples  under  the  shadow  of 
our  Christian  churches.  There  are  eighteen  of 
these  temples  in  San  Francisco  alone :  the  Six  Com- 


ON  GUARD 


50     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


panics  each  having  one.  The  newest,  largest,  and 
finest  is  that  of  the  Neng  Yeung  Company,  on 
Waverly  Place — being  company  house  and  temple 
combined.  The  principal  idol  in  it  is  a  great,  red- 
faced,  hideously  grotesque  Joss,  dressed  in  gaudy 
robes,  called  Kwan  Tai,  the  god  of  war.  Joss  is 
a  corruption  of  the  Portuguese  word  dios,  or  God 


BUN  SUN  LOW  RESTAURANT 


All  idols  are  called  Joss;  incense  sticks  Joss 
sticks;  and  a  temple  a  Joss-house.  Kwan  Tai  in 
this  temple  is  very  popular,  as  he  is  .supposed 
to  have  much  power  in  bestowing  upon  his  devo- 
tees bravery,  courage,  and  success  in  their  under- 
takings. The  temple  is  fitted  out  with  all  the 
paraphernalia  of  heathen  worship.  The  principal 
decorations  are  gilded  wood  carvings,  representing 


KWAN   TAI — GOU  OF  VVAK 


51 


WHAT  THEY  BRING  WITH  THEM  53 


scenes  from  Chinese  history  and  mythology;  elab- 
orate incense  urns,  gaudy  paper  flowers,  the  work  of 
women  in  China;  beaded  silken  tassels,  and  ebon- 
ized  panels  which  some  prosperous  merchant  has  set 
up  as  a  thank  offering  for  a  good  business  year. 

The  Chinese  do  not  have  set  times  to  assemble 
for  worship  as  we  have;  but  individuals  come  to 
worship  when  they  have  any  special  thing  to  seek, 
or  any  special  occasion  for  thanksgiving.  They 
bring  their  offering  and  place  it  before  the  god, 
light  their  candles  and  incense,  have  the  keeper 
strike  the  bell  and  drum  to  awake  the  sleeping  god; 
and,  kneeling,  pound  their  heads  on  the  floor  and 
mutter  their  invocations.  By  means  of  two  blocks 
and  sticks  of  fate  they  seek  to  find  out  if  the  god 
has  granted  their  request.  They  offer  paper  money, 
which  is  burned  in  a  furnace,  and  changed  into  the 
currency  of  the  gods.  In  the  temple  of  the  Kong 
Chow  Company,  there  was  recently  sold  to  a  temple 
keeper,  for  twenty  thousand  dollars,  the  exclusive 
right  for  a  year  to  sell  the  things  used  in  idolatrous 
worship.    Verily  idolatry  is  not  yet  dead ! 

The  worship  of  ancestors,  the  strong  belief  that 
every  nook  and  cranny  of  creation  is  filled  \/ith 
evil  spirits,  as  well  as  the  grosser  forms  of  idolatry, 
have  wrapped  the  Chinese  in  the  intricate  meshes 
of  the  most  debasing  superstitions.  The  work  of 
Christianizing  this  great  "Gibraltar  of  heathenism" 
on  our  western  coast  is  a  task  which  nothing  but  the 
divine  power  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  can  ever 
accomplish. 


54     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SB:E  HIM 


This  strange  people,  who  have  crossed  the  sea, 
and  have  set  up  their  idols  upon  our  shores, 
although  mingling  with  us,  learning  our  language, 
and  observing  our  ways,  are  still  really  living  for 
the  most  part  in  a  world  of  their  own.  They 
remain  isolated  from  us,  retaining  to  the  last  their 
peculiar  characteristics,  and  expecting  some  time  to 
go  back  to  live  and  die  among  their  own  people. 
The  Chinaman  only  makes  our  land  a  convenience 
for  the  time  being.  As  some  one  has  said,  "He 
does  not  even  change  his  tailor  or  his  barber  while 
he  stays  here."  He  will  never  make  America  his 
permanent  home.  This  is  the  very  reason  why  we 
should  give  him  the  Gospel  to  take  home  with  him. 

The  solemn  thought  ought  to  impress  us  deeply 
that  the  Chinese  are  bearing  back  to  their  own 
awakening  country  impressions  for  good  f)r  evil 
which  they  receive  during  their  sojourn  among  us. 
The  many  thousands  of  them  living  in  our  midst 
become  intimately  related  to  us  in  business  ways. 
To  this  nation  is  now  being  given  one  of  the  most 
wonderful  opportimities  that  has  ever  been  offered 
for  helping  forward  the  kingdom  of  God  on  the 
earth.  Through  the  representatives  of  the  Chinese 
empire  who  have  providentially  come  to  our  shores 
we  can  send  back  the  saving  and  enlightening  influ- 
ences of  the  Gospel,  thus  preparing  a  belated  people 
to  take  their  place  in  the  world's  onward  march. 
How  are  we  meeting  this  grave  responsibility? 


\ 


IV 


OPIUM  SMOKING 


ANY  of  the  Chinamen,  as  we  see  them  in 
this  country,  are  given  over  to  the  vice  of 
smoking  opium.  They  have  a  saying  at 
home  that  "Opium  shops  are  more  num- 
erous than  rice  shops."    A  vast  number 


of  China's  teeming  millions  are  the  slaves  of  opium, 
It  is  intelligently  asserted  that  more  die  every  year 
from  its  effects  than  are  born;  and  thus  the  popula- 
tion of  the  country  is  slowly  decreasing. 

Upon  the  British  government  lies  the  burden  of 
blame  for  this  great  crime.  When  the  English 
opened  up  India,  they  wanted  a  market  for  the 
product  of  poppy  which  flourished  there  so  well, 
and  they  found  it  in  China.  To-day  England's 
revenue  from  opium  amounts  to  more  than  forty 
millions  of  dollars. 

Although  opium  was  not  unknown  in  China  before 
that  time,  yet  the  practice  of  smoking  it  was  very 
far  from  being  a  common  one.  And  never  did 
a  government  make  a  more  determined  effort 
than  the  Chinese  to  prevent  the  curse  of  an  evil 
habit  from  destroying  its  people.  The  opium  war 
of  1842  was  brought  on  by  its  attempt  to  stop  the 


55 


56     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


importation  of  the  obnoxious  drug.  China  aroused 
itself  like  a  strong  man  to  shake  off  the  giant  evil. 
Penalties  were  imposed  upon  its  iise,  even  to  the 
extent  of  putting  its  vendors  and  users  to  death. 
But  what  could  the  government  do  when  foreigners 
were  smuggling  it  into  the  country  continually, 
right  before  their  eyes? 

Resolving  that  the  trade  should  be  broken  up  at 
all  risks,  and  yet  withoiit  directly  attacking  the 
foreign  traders,  the  Chinese  resorted  to  the  Oriental 
boycott  of  the  Foreign  Factories  in  Canton.  The 
government  forbade  its  own  people  to  have  any 
intercourse  with  foreigners.  Immediately  every 
Chinese  servant  left  them  No  man  could  be  had 
for  love  or  money  to  render  them  any  service,  or 
even  to  sell  them  food. 

This  state  of  siege  lasted  for  about  six  weeks. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  the  British  merchants  sur- 
rendered all  their  opium  into  the  hands  of  the 
Chinese.  It  amounted  to  twenty  thousand  two 
hundred  and  ninety-one  chests,  whiJi  had  actually 
cost  eleven  millions  of  dollars.  The  Chinese  re- 
ceived it  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  near  the  Bogue 
forts,  and  there  destroj'ed  it  at  the  command  of  the 
Emperor  by  throwing  it  overboard,  as  our  fathers 
destroyed  the  tea  in  Boston  harbor.  As  it  dissolved 
in  the  sea,  great  quantities  of  fish  were  killed,  and 
that  opium  at  least  did  not  kill  any  Chinese.  When 
the  Emperor,  Tao  Kwang,  was  urged  to  legalize  the 
traffic  and  tax  opium,  he  gave  utterance  to  these 
memorable  words,  "I  can  never  consent  to  derive 


OPIUM  SMOKING 


57 


an  income  from  the  vices  of  my  subjects."  This 
case  stands  as  "a  solitary  instance  in  the  history  of 
the  world  of  a  pagan  monarch  preferring  to  destroy 
what  would  injure  his  subjects,  rather  than  to  fill  his 
own  pockets  from  its  sale." 

As  the  result  of  the  opium  war  which  arose  out  of 
this  affair,  China  was  compelled  to  pay  England 


OPIUM  JOINT 


six  millions  of  dollars  for  the  opium  destroyed,  open 
five  of  her  ports  to  foreign  trade,  and  cede  the 
Island  of  Hong  Kong  as  an  English  colony. 

The  degenerate  son  of  this  noble  Emperor  gave 
way  to  the  pressure  of  foreign  ministers,  and  to 
help  secure  a  revenue  for  the  support  of  his  totter- 
ing throne,  legalized  the  nefarious  traffic. 

The  opium-smoking  habit  was  so  well  adapted  to 


58     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


the  Asiatic  nature  by  its  quieting,  soporific,  and  yet 
gently  exciting  effect,  that  it  grew  with  fearful 
rapidity.  In  order  to  meet  the  increasing  demand, 
China  herself  began  to  raise  the  poppy  in  large 
quantities;  and  already  those  regions  are  becoming 
impoverished  which  have  been  devoted  to  its  culti- 
vation, instead  of  to  the  raising  of  food  to  support 
the  population. 

The  opium-smoking  curse  has  crossed  the  seas  to 
our  land,  as  well  as  to  all  the  places  where  the 
Chinese  go.  Opium  dens  alioimd,  both  above  and 
below  ground,  in  San  Francisco's  Chinatown.  To 
reach  the  subterranean  dens  one  has  to  go  down 
rickety  stairs,  along  narrow  pasages  where  darkness 
reigns,  and  into  low  wretched  rooms  whose  hor- 
rors no  words  can  describe.  Far  away  from  the  din 
of  outside  life  the  silence  of  death  reigns  supreme. 
The  air  is  full  of  the  stupefying  smoke  of  opium. 
No  ventilation  ever  reaches  there,  and  no  light 
penetrates  the  gloom  except  from  the  feeble  flames 
of  a  few  flickering  opium  lamps.  Men  are  found 
curled  upon  the  bunks  in  different  stages  of  stupe- 
faction. vSome  are  still  conscious,  while  others  are 
in  a  dreamy  state  of  oblivion.  Some  are  dried-up, 
sallow-colored  sots;  while  others  still  retain  much 
freshness  and  vigor,  they  having  so  far  only  indulged 
to  a  moderate  degree. 

No  one  can  go  through  the  Chinese  quarters  with- 
out seeing  how  prevalent  the  practice  of  opium 
smoking  is.  Every  lodging  house  has  its  opium 
bunks,  and  the  air  is  filled  with  its  fumes.  The 


OPIUM  SMOKING 


59 


restaurants  furnish  opium  couches,  set  in  alcoves; 
much  as  our  hotels  do  bars.  Almost  every  store 
has  its  place  in  the  rear  where  business  transactions 
are  made  over  the  opium  pipe.  Every  guild  hall 
has  its  opium  couch,  and  even  some  homes  are  fur- 
nished with  them. 

The  Chinaman  does  not  get  drunk  with  liquor 


\  Ql  IKT  SMOKE 


His  convivial  bowl  is  a  cup  of  tea.  The  only  kind 
of  strong  drink  in  which  he  indulges  is  Samshoo,  or 
spirit  of  distilled  rice,  which  he  usually  drinks  in 
small  quantities,  as  the  wine  cups  are  not  larger 
than  thimbles.  It  quickly  flushes  the  face  but  does 
not  inebriate.  But  he  loves  the  opium  pipe,  and 
finds  solace  and  enjoyment  in  that  as  in  nothing 
else, 


6o     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


Opium  does  not  lead  a  person  to  crime  and  deeds 
of  violence  as  the  drinking  of  liquor  does,  but  its 
blight  is  none  the  less  deadly.  If  it  is  not  so  violent 
in  its  effect,  it  is  far  more  insidious.  If  it  does  not 
lead  a  man  to  beat  his  wife  and  children,  it  does 
lead  him  to  sell  them  as  slaves.  It  saps  a  man's 
physical  vitality,  and  utterly  ruins  his  manhood. 

I  do  not  assert  that  as  soon  as  a  man  begins  to 
smoke  he  loses  all  virility,  and  becomes  enfeebled 
in  body.  This  is  wliat  some  suppose.  The  habit  of 
smoking  a  few  pipes  a  day  may  not  show  itself  much 
for  years.  A  moderate  smoker,  who  has  a  strong  con- 
stitution and  strong  will  to  hold  himself  in  check, 
may  continue  the  use  of  the  drug  without  disastrous 
results  upon  his  healt  i  or  spirits.  But  even  these  at 
length  become  so  much  the  slaves  of  the  habit  that 
they  are  too  wretched  and  languid  to  go  about  their 
daily  business  without  its  stimulus.  One  who 
smokes  even  in  moderation  is  not  to  be  trusted. 
He  soon  becomes  idle.  He  loses  his  moral  sensibil- 
ities. His  interest  in  work  and  ability  for  it  are 
gone.  His  appetite  for  food  diminishes.  Mentally 
even  more  than  physically,  he  becomes  unfit  for  any 
responsible  duty.  The  habit  being  an  expensive 
one,  he  is  soon  brought  to  poverty.  His  days  and 
nights  are  spent  on  the  opium  couch.  His  chains 
are  forged  tighter  day  by  day,  and  very  seldom  is  he 
ever  able  to  emancipate  himself  from  the  tyranny 
of  the  habit  which  is  dragging  him  down  to  death. 

The  question,  what  per  cent  of  the  Chinese  in  this 
cotmtry  smoke?  is  difficult  to  answer  correctly.  In 


OPIUM  SMOKING 


6i 


New  York  City,  a  tour  through  Chinatown  revealed 
the  fact  that  one-fourth  of  the  whole  number  of 
places  were  provided  with  bunks  for  the  smoking  of 
opium;  while  only  three  or  four  places  were  discov- 
ered where  white  visitors  smoked.  In  San  Fran- 
cisco's Chinatown,  it  is  a  rare  thing  to  find  white 
persons  smoking.  No  doubt  much  of  it  is  done,  but 
its  devotees  follow  it  in  other  secret  places.  Thirty, 
or  possibly  as  high  as  forty  per  cent  of  the  Chinese, 
and  the  one-half  of  these  confirmed  smokers,  is  per- 
haps as  near  the  truth  in  regard  to  numbers  as  we 
can  come. 

The  large  amount  of  opium  brought  into  our 
country  every  year,  tells  how  prevalent  the  vice  is. 
The  drug  comes  in  two  forms — crude  and  prepared. 
The  black,  waxy,  prepared  article,  all  ready  for  the 
smoker,  is  the  form  in  which  it  generally  comes. 
Its  importation  has  reached  as  high  as  one  hundred 
and  twenty  thousand  pounds  a  year.  Owing  to  the 
decrease  of  the  Chinese  population,  it  is  now  con- 
siderably less  than  that.  When  we  add  the  large 
amount  which  is  constantly  being  smuggled  in,  it  is 
easily  seen  to  what  an  extent  it  is  used.  Our  gov- 
ernment receives  a  yearly  revenue  upon  opium  of 
something  like  three-quarters  of  a  million  of  dollars. 

We  denounce  Great  Britain  for  her  opium  crime, 
but  how  much  better  is  our  own  government,  which 
has  received  many  millions  of  dollars  into  her 
coffers,  by  admitting  this  poison  into  our  land? 
How  dare  our  government  legalize  the  importation 
of  prepared  opium,  when  almost  its  only  use  is  to 


62     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


kill  men?  Surely  it  is  blood  money!  Shall  we  not 
do  what  many  of  the  better  class  of  the  Chinese 
themselves  advocate,  namely,  have  our  g-overnmem. 
put  its  prohibitory  seal  on  this  curse,  which  is  not 
only  destroying  so  many  Chinese,  but  which  is  also 
laying  its  blighting  hand  upon  our  own  race? 


V 


"HATCHET  MEN" 

HIGHBINDERS  openly  flourish  in  our 
countr}'  as  they  could  not  do  in  their 
own.  There  their  heads  would  soon  roll 
in  the  dust.  Here  they  carry  on  high- 
handed crime  in  spite  of  our  authorities. 
"Hatchet  men"  is  the  name  by  which  the  Chinese 
themselves  commonly  call  them.  In  view  of  the 
character  of  the  men,  the  name  is  certainly  a  very 
significant  one.  As  to  the  origin  of  the  word 
"Highbinders,"  I  have  heard  that  it  was  first  used 
by  an  Irish  policeman  in  New  York  in  speaking  of 
a  Chinese  tough,  and  the  word  has  stuck  to  this  kind 
of  Chinaman  ever  since. 

The  original  society  in  China  is  called.  Heaven 
and  Earth  League,  or  Triad  Societ}'.  It  was  first 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  overthrowing  the  reigning 
dynasty.  Although  it  became  quite  powerful  in 
South  China,  it  was  never  popular  with  the  masses, 
owing  to  the  intimidation  and  oppression  employed 
against  those  who  would  not  join  it. 

The  highbinders  claim  to  have  some  relation  to 
the  Freemason  fraternity.  There  is  a  popular  tradi- 
tion that  lodges  of  Chinese  Freemasons  exist  in 

S5 


66      THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


China.  I  remember,  when  a  young"  man,  hearing 
this  asserted  by  Masons  as  a  fact.  There  is  no 
question  whatever  that  many  resemblances  do  exist 
between  them.  This  is  especially  the  case  in  the 
initiatory  rites.  But  in  reality  there  is  no  connec- 
tion between  them.  If  the  Masons  understood  what 
the  highbinders  really  are,  they  would  be  very  slow 
to  claim  kinship  with  them. 

In  China  there  may  have  originally  been  some 
good  things  in  the  association,  but  if  so  it  soon  degen- 
erated into  an  order  whose  aim  was  plunder  and 
power.  During  the  progress  of  the  great  Tai-ping 
rebellion  which  devastated  so  many  provinces,  and 
threatened  at  one  time  to  overthrow  the  present 
reigning  dynasty,  the  Triads  were  very  powerful. 
But  with  the  supression  of  that  rebellion  under 
General  Gordon,  and  the  execution  of  so  many  red- 
turbaned  rebels,  the  Triad  society  seemed  to  go  out 
of  existence.  But  though  it  did  not  dare  show  its 
head  for  a  long  while,  it  still  secretly  lived,  and  in 
recent  years  has  shown  renewed  life  in  the  rebellious 
outbreaks  against  the  government  which  have  taken 
place. 

The  Triads,  or  highbinders,  came  to  San  Fran- 
cisco thirty-seven  years  ago,  and  planted  themselves 
in  tliis  soil  under  the  high-sounding  name  of  Chee 
Kung  Tong,  "Chamber  of  High  Jitstice.  "  While  the 
society  retains  its  old  form,  its  character  has  changed 
somewhat  from  what  it  was  in  China.  Being 
divested  of  all  political  color,  it  has  come  to  be  little 
more  than  a  society  of  blackmailers,  robbers,  and 


"HATCHET  MEN 


67 


assassins.    Professing  to  be  a  benevolent  association 
formed  for  purposes  of  mutual  protection,  it  is  really 
a  closely-organized  band  of  villains  and  murderers. 
The  ordeal  of  initiation  is  said  to  be  something 

terrific.  Under 
naked  swords  and 
spears,  before 
grim  idols,  and 
with  cups  of  min- 
gled wine  and 
blood,  and  the 
decapitation  of  a 
cock's  head  as  an 
intimation  of  what 
will  be  done  in 
case  of  treachery, 
the  novice,  with 
awful  oaths,  is  ini- 
tiated into  the 
order.  There  are 
many  secret  signs, 
passwords  and 
symbols  which  are 
known  only  by  the 
initiated. 

This  hydra- 
headed  monster 
nas  many  branches.  In  the  cities  of  the  East  it 
goes  under  the  name  of  Ye  Heng  Ui.  I  have 
read  a  learned  essay  written  by  some  American, 
showing  that  the  Ye  Heng  Ui  of  the  East  was 


HATCHET  MEN 


68     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


a  virtuous  society.  But  while  making  a  show 
of  goodness,  and  even  having  on  its  roll  some 
members  of  respectable  character,  who  joined  it 
under  a  misapprehension,  it  is  a  part  of  the  same 
evil  thing  which  has  its  headquarters  in  Spofford 
alley,  San  Francisco. 

On  this  coast  there  are  many  highbinder  societies. 
Some  are  branches  of  the  Chee  Kung  Tong,  and 
are  organized  for  special  kinds  of  work;  but  many 
of  them  are  rival  tongs.  Some  are  especially  con- 
nected with  the  gambling  interests;  some  are 
organized  to  protect  the  brothels;  and  some  for  the 
importation  and  traffic  in  women.  In  case  a  woman 
seeks  to  escape  from  her  life  of  slavery,  as  often 
occurs,  the  most  common  way  of  dealing  with  her  is 
for  a  highbinder  to  swear  out  a  charge  of  grand 
larceny  against  her,  and  she  is  cast  into  prison  by 
the  officers  of  the  law.  This  puts  her  in  the  power 
of  her  owner,  and  if  she  returns,  as  she  often  finds  it 
best  to  do,  he  lets  the  case  of  larceny  go  b)'  default. 
But  if  she  can  get  to  the  Refuge  Home,  the  mission- 
aries can  generally  protect  her  from  those  who 
would  drag  her  back  to  infamy.  Woe,  however,  be 
to  the  Chinaman  who  helped  her  to  escape,  if  he  is 
found  out! 

There  are  other  tongs  or  guilds  among  the  Chi- 
nese, which  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  order 
of  the  hatchet  men.  I  refer  to  the  trades  unions, 
of  which  there  are  man3\  The  Chinese  surpass  any 
other  people  I  ever  heard  of  for  societies.  Many  of 
them  are  "wheels  within  wheels."    Each  separate 


"  HATCHET  MEN 


69 


object  must  have  ils  own  /oiig  or  11  i.  The  most 
important  of  these  trades  unions  are  those  of  the 
laimdrymen,  cigarmakers,  shoemakers,  jean  elothes 
tailors,  underwear  manufacturers,  and  other  smaller 
unions.  Their  general  character  and  object  are 
much  like  those  of 
our  own  unions. 
They  regulate 
wages,  settle  dis- 
putes, protect  each 
other  from  being 
wronged  by  white 
people,  and  pro- 
tect themselves 
against  their  own 
people  who  would 
take  away  their 
work.  This  they 
do  by  strikes,  and 
sometimes  by  the 
use  of  physical 
force.  When  a 
non-union  man  is 
found  working 
among  them,  they 
quit  work  until 
he  is  dismissed, 
not   seek  work, 


highbinders'  headquarters 


The  members  themselves  do 
but  when  out  of  employment 
report  to  the  headquarters  of  the  union,  which  thus 
becomes  a  kind  of  employment  bureau.  They 
defend   their  interests  sometimes  by  employing 


70     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


force  to  fight  against  other  unions.  This  is  when 
the  "hatchet  boy's"  work  comes  in.  If  a  member 
of  their  own  union  makes  himself  especially  obnox- 
ious his  name  is  handed  over  to  the  hatchet  men, 
and  that  Chinaman  disappears.  Nobody  knows 
what  has  become  of  him.  Perhaps  he  has  returned 
to  China,  or  has  gone  to  the  Eastern  States,  but 
more  likely  he  has  been  blotted  off  the  face  of  the 
earth. 

If  a  man  is  to  be  gotten  rid  of,  the  hatchet  men 
stand  ready,  for  a  consideration,  to  undertake  the 
task.  In  secret  conclave  they  deliberate  over  the 
case  of  one  who  has  offended  them,  and  select 
the  agent  who  is  to  make  way  with  him.  He  gets 
a  roiind  sum  for  the  job.  If  arrested  they  agree  to 
clear  him  in  the  courts,  if  he  is  imprisoned  or  killed 
a  goodly  amount  is  given  to  his  family.  Few  China- 
men have  the  courage  to  stand  against  the  fiat  of 
this  dark  tribunal,  and  they  all  fear  its  power  much 
more  than  they  do  our  own  courts  of  justice.  They 
have  different  ways  of  dealing  with  those  who  have 
incurred  their  enmit}'.  If  it  is  not  deemed  prudent 
to  assassinate  them,  charges  are  made  out  against 
them  in  our  courts  by  means  of  false  witnesses.  A 
complete  chain  of  evidence  is  forged  by  which  many 
an  innocent  man  is  condemned.  It  is  not  only  diffi- 
cult to  clear  one  against  whom  the  highbinders  have 
laid  charges,  but  it  is  equally  difficult  to  convict  one 
whom  they  have  undertaken  to  defend. 

Many  are  laid  under  tribute  to  their  blackmailing 
schemes.    Their  victims  generally  find  it  wiser  to 


"HATCHET  MEN 


71 


submit  to  their  demands  than  to  offer  resistance, 
and  be  ruined  in  their  business,  or  lose  their 
employment,  if  not  their  lives.  The  revenue  of 
these  hatchet  societies  is  ver}'  large,  hence  they 
never  lack  for  money  to  carry  on  their  nefarious 
work.  Money  and  cunning  seldom  fail  to  thwart 
the  ends  of  justice,  and  accomplish  what  they 
undertake. 

The  highbinders  have  their  regular  band  of  paid 
fighters,  who  wear  chained  armor,  carry  revolvers, 
knives,  and  other  kinds  of  concealed  weapons. 
Nearly  all  the  shooting  affairs  in  the  Chinese  quar- 
ters of  San  Francisco  and  other  towns,  may  be  laid 
to  their  charge.  The  street  battles  which  so  often 
occur,  are  brought  about  by  a  contest  between  rival 
tongs.  Perhaps  there  has  been  some  slave  girl 
stolen,  who  was  under  the  protection  of  some  other 
society,  or  blackmail  is  levied  by  a  rival  tong,  or  in 
some  way  the  rights  of  others  are  encroached  on, 
and  a  deadly  contest  arises,  which  nothing  but 
blood  can  wipe  out. 

This  class  of  the  Chinese  is  confined  to  a  compara- 
tively small  circle.  The  great  mass  of  the  people 
have  no  sympathy  with  these  villains,  and  would  be 
delighted  to  see  them  brought  to  justice.  When, 
on  several  occasions,  attempts  have  been  made  to 
put  them  down,  the  great  body  of  the  Chinese  have 
been  highly  pleased  with  the  prospect.  It  is  hoped 
that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  these  men  who 
defy  our  laws,  plot  bloody  conspiracies,  and  sustain 
vile  haunts  of  vice,  shall  be   suppressed.  None 


72     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


would  breathe  freer,  or  be  more  delighted  at  this 
result,  than  the  law-abiding  Chinese  themselves. 

These  societies  are  not  to  be  confounded  with  the 
"Boxers"  of  China.  It  is  true,  however,  that  the 
lines  between  all  these  different  societies  are  hard 
to  distinguish,  and  when  interest  demands  it,  they 
often  run  into  one  another.  The  "Boxers"  are 
called  IVo  Knn,  or  "Righteous  United  Fi.-,ts. " 
The  character  for  fists  is  used  also  for  boxing;  hence 
the  name.  The  name  by  which  they  are  called 
among  the  better  class  of  Chinese  is  A'//n  Fa/,  "Fist 
rascals."  The  Rev.  W.  O.  Elterich,  of  Chefoo, 
China,  says  of  them  that  they  form  a  secret  society, 
the  members  of  which  go  through  a  drill,  in  which 
they  invoke  certain  spirits  by  incantations,  and  then 
beat  their  bodies  with  a  brick  to  harden  the  body 
until  they  can  endure  poundings  by  knives  with- 
out injury.  This  drill  probably  gave  rise  to  the 
popular  nickname  of  "Big  Knife  vSociety. "  They 
are  supposed  to  have  an  incantation  consisting  of 
nineteen  characters.  Those  who  know  eight  of 
these  characters  can  fight  ten  thousand  men;  and 
those  acquainted  with  sixteen  or  seventeen  charac- 
ters, can  pull  down  foreign  houses  as  easil}^  as  they 
can  move  a  tea  box.  These  are  the  stories  circu- 
lated and  believed  in  by  the  ignorant  multitude. 
To  convince  the  multitude  of  their  immunity  from 
harm  they  allow  friends  to  fire  guns  at  them,  only  a 
few  paces  distant.  This  is  usually  managed  so  that 
no  serious  consequences  follow,  but  not  always. 
They  claim  to  be  patriotic  in  their  aims,  their  ruling 


"HATCHET  MEN 


73 


purpose  being  to  preserve  the  land  to  the  natives, 
and  to  drive  out  all  foreigners.  The  motto  is,  "Pro- 
tect the  Dynasty,  Exterminate  the  Aliens." 

This  society  has  spread  very  rapidly  throughout 
the  northern  provinces,  and  is  also  extending  into 
the  southern  part  of  the  empire.  It  is  favored  by 
many  of  the  high  officials,  and  the  Empress  Dowager 
uses  it  to  carry  out  her  iniquitous  plans.  Since  she 
has  deposed  the  Emperor  Kwang  Hsu,  who  was 
heartily  in  sympathy  with  Christian  progress,  and 
has  taken  the  reins  of  government  into  her  own 
hands,  she  has  been  glad  to  vise  the  Boxers  in  carry- 
ing out  her  anti-Christian  and  anti-foreign  policy. 
In  the  convulsions  now  agitating  China,  this  secret 
society  is  but  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  the  govern- 
ment for  driving  out  foreigners,  and  destroying 
Christianity. 

The  Boxers  were  at  first  an  athletic  secret  society 
which  had  been  formed  for  mutual  protection 
against  bands  of  robbers  in  the  province  of  Shan- 
tung. When  the  Germans  seized  so  large  a  portion 
of  that  province  upon  the  pretext  of  compensation 
for  the  murder  of  two  missionaries,  the  Chinese 
believed  it  to  be  the  beginning  of  an  attempt  to 
seize  the  whole  province  and  even  the  entire  Empire. 
This  aroused  the  patriotic  Boxer  Society,  and  they 
determined  to  drive  the  foreign  intruders  from  their 
country.  To  aid  them  in  their  work  they  laid  claim 
to  certain  magic  hypnotic  powers  by  which  they 
inspired  the  multitude  to  believe  that  they  could 
make  themselves  invulnerable  to  foreign  bullets. 


74     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


and  possess  other  supernatural  powers.  This 
Boxer  movement  spread  with  wonderful  rapidity, 
and,  with  the  encouragement  of  the  government 
itself,  led  on  to  the  frightful  excesses  and  crimes 
for  which  they  have  become  noted. 

In  California,  as  at  many  points  outside  of  China, 
a  Reform  Association  has  risen  which  strongly 
opposes  the  Boxers.  It  was  formed  to  put  down 
the  rule  of  the  Empress  Dowager,  and  restore  the 
Emperor  to  his  throne.  For  this  reason  it  is  called 
Fo  Wong  Ui,  "Protect  Emperor  Society."  It 
claims  a  large  membership,  five  thousand  of  whom 
are  in  San  Francisco.  Practically  all  the  Chinese 
in  the  Hawaiian  Islands  are  members.  Its  founder 
is  Kang  Yu  Wei,  who  was  formerly  near  the 
deposed  Emperor  as  Advisor,  but  had  to  leave  the 
country  to  save  his  head,  upon  which  a  high  price 
now  rests.  The  Society  strongly  favors  the  intro- 
duction of  Western  civilization  into  the  Empire. 
No  partition  of  China  is  one  of  its  strong  tenets. 
It  looks  to  the  overthrow  of  the  Manchu  Dynasty, 
and  the  restoration  of  a  pure  Chinese  rule. 

As  the  Chinese  abroad  are  from  South  China, 
they  are  all  opposed  to  the  Boxers.  The  Christian 
Chinese  of  San  Francisco,  in  a  series  of  resolutions 
recently  sent  to  President  McKinley,  said,  "We 
deplore  the  Boxer  insurrection  in  Northern  China. 
The  Chinese  now  resident  in  the  United  States  have 
no  sympathy  whatever  with  this  wild,  murderous 
horde  of  misguided  Chinese.  It  should  be  borne  in 
mind  by  the  American  public  that   the  Chinese 


"HATCHET  MEN 


75 


residing  in  this  country  come  from  the  Kwong  Tung 
province,  of  which  Canton  is  the  capital.  Not  only 
is  there  but  little  anti-foreign  feeling  in  this  part  of 
China,  but  a  growing  spirit  of  friendliness.  The 
Chinese  living  here  have  a  much  better  understand- 
ing of  Western  people,  by  coming  in  constant  con- 
tact with  them ;  and  the  many  Christian  Chinese 
from  the  United  States  returning  to  that  province 
carry  with  them  the  spirit  of  the  truth." 


VI 


HOW  THE  TREATIES  WERE  KEPT 

IP"  T  would  be  an  interesting  study  in  ethics 
to  review  the  whole  subject  of  Chinese 
immigration.  But  we  must  content  our- 
selves with  a  brief  history  of  the  treaties 
regulating  their  immigration  to  our 
country,  and  of  our  entrance  into  China. 

In  February,  1844,  while  President  Tyler  was  in 
office,  Mr.  Caleb  Cushing  succeeded  in  negotiating 
a  treaty  which  gave  the  right  of  American  residence 
at  the  five  ports  of  China.  Two  clauses  in  that 
treaty  have  been  called  "Our  Magna  Charta  in  Far 
Cathay."  The  first  gave  the  right  of  United  States 
citizens  being  tried  in  their  own  Consular  courts. 
The  second  granted  to  Americans  resident  in  China 
the  same  privileges  and  immunities  that  are  granted 
to  any  other  nation.  These  two  stipulations  have 
been  fully  exploited  by  the  press. 

In  1858,  a  second  treaty  was  arranged,  during 
President  Buchanan's  administration,  and  the  priv- 
ilege of  sending  a  minister  each  year  to  Peking, 
and  the  entrance  for  residence  and  trade  to  six 
new  ports  in  China  was  secured.    The  following 

clause  in  this  treaty  furnishes  food  for  thought  in 

76 


AC  1 UKS 


77 


HOW  THE  TREATIES  WERE  KEPT  79 


the  face  of  events  which  happened  during  the  years 
from  1854  to  1882.  "There  shall  be,  as  there 
always  has  been,  peace  between  the  United  States 
of  America  and  the  Ta  Tsing  Empire,  and  between 
their  people  respectively.  They  shall  not  insult  or 
oppress  each  other  for  any  trifling  cause,  so  as  to 
produce  an  estrangement  between  them,"  etc. 

There  was  no  "estrangement"  between  the  gov- 
ernments for  a  few  years,  but  delightful  harmony. 
To  nearly  all,  the  Chinaman  was  a  friend  and 
brother — commercially  at  least.  For  was  he  not 
invaluable  in  the  family,  for  work  on  the  Pacific 
Railroad,  for  the  reclamation  of  tule  lands,  and  for 
picking  fruit  in  the  orchards? 

The  favor  with  which  the  Chinese  were  regarded, 
in  the  main,  during  these  years,  led  to  the  opening 
of  negotiations  for  a  third  treaty.  Mr.  Burlingame, 
who  had  won  a  wonderful  popularity  with  the  Chi- 
nese government,  while  he  was  our  minister  at 
Peking,  was  appointed  by  the  Chinese  as  their 
representative  to  make  such  a  treaty,  which  was 
ratified  by  the  two  governments  in  1868. 

Note  the  language  of  this  treaty:  "The  United 
States  of  America  and  the  Emperor  of  China  cor- 
dially recognize  the  inherent  and  inalienable  right 
of  man  to  change  his  home  and  allegiance,  and  also 
the  mutual  advantage  of  the  free  migration  and 
emigration  of  their  citizens  and  subjects,  respec- 
tively, from  one  country  to  the  other  for  purposes 
of  curiosity,  of  trade,  or  as  permanent  residents." 

The  harmony  which  had  thus  far,  for  the  most 


8o     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


part,  prevailed,  began  to  be  disturbed.  Dark, 
threatening  clouds  began  to  gather  in  the  political 
sky.  While  Mr.  Burlingame  was  in  San  Francisco, 
in  April,  1868,  his  mission  was  regarded  as  the 
inauguration  of  closer  relations  between  the  two 
countries.  He  and  his  Chinese  retinue  were  treated 
with  the  most  marked  respect,  and  not  a  word  was 
said  in  denunciation  of  the  Chinaman.  But  a  little 
later,  and  especially  after  his  sudden  death,  the 
storm,  which  had  been  brewing,  began  to  break. 
Everj'thing  which  could  be  said  against  the  Chi- 
nese and  their  vices,  was  set  forth  in  the  most 
sensational  style.  The  tocsin  of  war  was  sounded, 
and  the  words,  "The  Chinese  must  go,"  became 
the  shibboleth  of  the  working  classes  on  the  Pacific 
coast.  Such  flaming  headlines  as  "Boycott  the 
Mongolian,"  "Coolie  cunning, "  "Chinese  perjury," 
"Tricky  Chinese, "  bespattered  the  columns  of  the 
daily  press. 

Changes  were  rung  on  all  the  well-known  poems 
from  "Mother  Hubbard,"  and  the  poor  abused  dog 
who  found  the  cupboard  bare,  to  the  grand  old 
hymn,  "Strike  for  your  altars  and  your  fires,"  to 
show  how  menacing  the  Chinese  were  to  our  social 
and  industrial  institutions.  One  would  think  our 
food  supply  was  soon  to  be  exhausted  by  the  hordes 
of  incoming  Chinese ;  and  that  our  standing  army 
must  soon  be  called  upon  to  defend  our  homes! 

Riotous  sand-lot  and  street  meetings  were  held 
every  night,  and  addressed  by  incendiary  speakers 
of  the  Dennis  Kearney  stripe.    The  crimes  and 


HOW  THE  TREATIES  WERE  KEPT  83 


vices  of  the  Chinese,  and  the  injury  caused  by  their 
cheap  labor,  were  set  forth  in  exaggerated  hm- 
guage.  The  low,  idle  elements  of  the  cities  were 
aroused  to  liotous  acts.  Such  headlines  as  these 
were  often  seen  in  those  days,  "Chinese  coal  miners 
attacked  at  wSeattle";  "Chinese  expelled  from 
Eureka";  "Chinese  driven  out  of  Tacoma" ;  "The 
hop  pickers  attacked  at  Seattle";  "Chinese  mineis 
mobbed  at  Cheyenne";  "Brutal  riot  at  Denver." 

Many  young  men  belonging  to  the  hoodlum  class 
stood  at  street  corners,  where  express  wagons  loaded 
with  fresh  arrivals  of  Chinese  must  pass,  and  with 
curses  and  vile  epithets,  which  fortunately  the 
Chinese  could  not  understand,  and  with  stones  and 
pistols  which,  unfortunately,  they  did  understand, 
emphasized  the  words  of  the  treaty,  "they  shall  not 
insult  or  oppress. "  If  we  except  the  Jews  in  former 
times,  no  people  have  been  more  despised  and  per- 
secuted than  the  Chinamen  in  this  Christian  land. 
They  have  been  stoned,  spit  upon,  beaten,  mobbed, 
their  property  destroyed,  and  they  themselves 
unjustly  imprisoned  and  murdered.  All  this  in 
free  America,  under  our  flag,  and  in  the  face  of 
sacred  treaty  rights. 

At  length  the  outcry  against  this  barbarity 
reached  the  ears  of  our  government  at  Washington, 
and  a  special  embassy  was  sent  to  Peking  to  nego- 
tiate a  fourth  treaty.  The  Imperial  government, 
with  wonderful  magnanimity,  granted  all  that  was 
asked,  and  a  new  treaty  was  made  in  1880,  the  first 
article  of  which  reads:  "Whenever,  in  the  opinion 


84      THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


of  the  United  States,  the  coming  of  Chinese  labor  to 
the  United  States,  or  their  residence  tlierein,  affects 
or  threatens  to  aifect  the  interests  of  that  conntrj', 
or  of  any  locality  within  the  territory  thereof,  the 
Government  of  China  agrees  that  the  Government 
of  the  United  States  may  regulate,  limit,  or  suspend 
such  coming  or  residence,  but  may  not  absolutely 
prohibit  it."  The  second  article  declared  that, 
"those  Chinese  laborers  who  are  now  in  the  United 
States  shall  be  allowed  to  go  and  come  of  their  own 
free  will  and  accord,  and  shall  be  accorded  all  the 
rights,  privileges,  immunities  and  exemptions  which 
are  accorded  the  citizens  and  subjects  of  the  most 
favored  nation." 

This  treaty  was  scarcely  signed  before  there  arose 
brutal  riots,  bloody  massacres,  and  cruel  outrages 
against  this  defenseless  people.  For  these  no 
redress  has  ever  been  made.  To  crown  all,  on  May 
6,  1882,  Congress  passed  the  Scott  Restriction  Law; 
which,  with  the  amendments  afterwards  made,  pro- 
hibited all  Chinese  from  entering  our  country, 
except  the  few  privileged  classes  of  merchants,- 
officials,  students,  teachers  and  travelers.  Shade 
of  Burlingame!  Spirit  of  1868!  What  a  faithful 
observance  of  solemn  agreements  by  a  heathen 
people,  and  what  a  violation  of  their  letter  and 
spirit  by  a  Christian  nation! 

Yet  even  these  laws  were  not  drastic  enough,  and 
on  Maj'  5,  1892,  Congress  enacted  the  Chinese 
Registration  Law,  called  the  Gear}-  Law.  This  law 
required  all  Chinese  laborers  to  register  within  one 


HOW  THE  TREATIES  WERE  KEPT  85 


year  after  the  passage  of  the  act,  and  secure  a  cer- 
tificate of  registration,  as  evidence  of  their  right  to 
remain  in  this  country.  Merchants  could  also 
register,  by  way  of  precaution,  if  they  chose.  As  a 
matter  of  course  those  laborers  who  were  found  in 
the  country  one 
year  after  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Regis- 
tration Law,  with- 
out a  certificate, 
were  liable  to  be 
apprehended  and 
deported  to  China. 
The  number  re  - 
quired  to  register 
was  thought  to  be 
one  hundred  thou- 
sand, but  as  a 
matter  of  fact  only 
thirteen  thousand 
two  hundred  and 
forty-three  regis- 
tered i:nder  this 
act,  as  the  Six 
Companies,  deem-  opium  guest  room 

ing  it  an  uncon- 
stitutional law,  ordered  the  Chinese  not  to  register. 
A  test  was  made.    After  an  elaborate  discussion  of 
the  whole  matter,  the  trial  finally  resulted  in  declar- 
ing the  law  constitutional. 

November  3,  1893,  an  amended  act,  known  as 


86     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


"The  McCreary  Bill,"  was  passed,  extending  the 
time  of  registration  for  six  months.  One  hundred 
and  six  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  eleven  actually 
registered.  This  bill  was  designed  to  regulate 
immigration  for  the  term  of  ten  years. 

These  laws  called  for  a  revision  of  the  treaties,  as 
well  they  might.  A  new  treaty,  ratified  by  our 
government  and  the  emperor  of  China,  went  into 
force  December  8,  1894.  This  provided  for  abso- 
lute prohibition  of  immigration  for  ten  )^ears  of  all 
laborers,  except  the  following  privileged  classes. 
"A  Chinese  laborer  who  has  a  lawful  wife,  child  or 
parent  in  the  United  States,  or  property  therein  to 
the  value  of  one  thousand  dollars,  or  debts  of  like 
amount  due  him,  and  pending  settlement." 

The  enforcement  of  the  exclusion  law  embodied  in 
this  treaty  is  found  to  work  great  hardship  to  the  Chi- 
nese. They  have  to  prove  by  not  fewer  than  two 
reliable  white  witnesses  (which  are  often  difficult  to 
procure),  that  thej^  have  a  right  to  live  in  this 
country,  or  to  land  after  returning  from  a  visit 
home.  When  they  do  arrive,  merchants,  laborers, 
are  all  alike  penned  up,  like  a  flock  of  sheep,  in  a 
wharf -shed,  for  many  days,  and  often  weeks,  at  theii 
own  expense,  and  are  denied  all  communication 
with  their  own  people,  while  the  investigation  of 
their  cases  moves  its  slow  length  along.  The  right 
of  bail  is  denied.  A  man  is  imprisoned  as  a  crimi- 
nal who  has  committed  no  crime,  but  has  merely 
failed  to  find  a  white  man  to  prove  his  right  to  be 
here.    A  man  is  imprisoned,  not  until  some  one 


HOW  THE  TREATIES  WERE  KEPT  87 


proves  his  guilt,  but  until  he,  arrested  on  suspicion, 
can  prove  his  innocence.  The  law  thus  discrim- 
inates against  class  and  race.  It  treats  the  Chinese 
as  no  other  nation  under  the  sun  is  treated.  These 
discriminating  laws  are  a  great  and  unnecessary 
wrong  against  a  defenseless  people,  and  their  harsh 
execution  makes  matters  still  worse.  The  poor 
Chinaman,  who  has  no  friend,  must  abide  by  the 
requirements  of  an  imjust  law.  He  feels  the  great 
injustice  that  is  done  him  by  our  government,  and 
is  righteously  indignant  at  the  manner  in  which  he 
is  treated  by  a  so-called  Christian  people.  Yet  we 
wonder  that  he  is  so  slow  in  conforming  to  our 
ways,  and  accepting  the  Christianity  which  we  seek 
to  impose  upon  him. 

Under  these  oppressive  laws  the  Chinese  colonies 
in  America  have  gradually  diminished  until  they 
do  not  probably  exceed  in  population  one  hundred 
thousand  in  the  whole  country,  eighteen  thousand 
of  that  number  being  in  San  Francisco.  However, 
Mexico  and  Canada  have  extensive  border  lines, 
with  a  limited  U.  S.  Customs'  police  force,  where 
the  guardians  of  the  law  are  doing  faithful  duty, 
but  the  corruptions  of  officials  at  Hong  Kong, 
Macao,  and  Canton,  as  well  as  at  our  own  ports, 
make  it  easy  for  any  one  to  enter  under  the  specified 
classes,  if  he  is  able  to  pay  what  it  costs. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  feeling  toward  the  China- 
man, the  children  in  one  of  the  primary  schools  in 
San  Francisco  had  bought  an  American  flag  for 
their  use.    When  the  teacher  asked  them  for  some 


88     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


sentiment  to  inscribe  upon  it,  one  little  fellow  said, 
"The  Chinese  must  go." 

If  the  treaties  with  China  have  been  so  poorl}' 
kept  at  this  end  of  the  line  it  is  well  to  remember 
that  at  the  other  treaties  were  forced  upon  the 
Chinese  by  foreigners,  at  the  point  of  the  baj'onet. 
If  China  had  been  unmolested  by  foreign  powers, 
she  certainly  would  never  have  troubled  them. 
Neither  would  she  have  been  compelled,  as  she  has 
been  by  all  the  instincts  of  self-defense,  to  learn  the 
art  of  modern  warfare.  It  should  never  be  for- 
gotten that  treaties  were  thrust  upon  her  for  the 
purpose  of  gain  and  greed,  whatever  other  pretext 
may  now  be  offered.  If  the  foreign  powers, 
especially  Great  Britain,  were  brought  before  a 
righteous  tribunal,  how  much  might  be  said  in 
extenuation  of  China's  attitude  to-day.  The 
nations  of  Europe,  by  their  superior  skill  in  the 
science  of  war,  forced  their  way  into  China,  and 
compelled  that  people  to  open  up  their  country, 
before  they  were  prepared  to  come  out  and  enter 
into  an  utterly  new  world.  Ever  since  the  iron 
heel  has  been  planted  upon  a  peaceable,  quiet, 
industrious  people,  she  has  been  dominated  in  a 
most  unjust  and  insolent  manner.  Because  she 
was  rich  in  territory,  covetous  eyes  have  been  upon 
her,  and  under  pretense  of  reparation  for  some 
slight  grievances,  or  for  other  causes,  the  partition 
of  her  country  among  the  allied  powers,  has  been 
the  common  talk  of  the  world. 

How  would  we  feel  if  placed  under  similar  cir- 


HOW  THE  TREATIES  WERE  KEPT  89 


cumstanccs?  Human  nature  is  about  the  same 
among  all  the  races  of  earth.  Is  it  to  be  wondered 
at  that  there  is  intense  hatred  of  foreigners  cher- 
ished by  the  Chinese?  They  are  by  nature  a  long- 
suflfering,  patient  people,  who  will  bear  much  and 
long.  But  when  once  aroused,  they  become 
vindictive,  cruel  and  revengeful  beyond  all  that  is 
reasonable.  Yet  I  doubt  whether  they  have  more 
of  native  savagery  than  that  which  crops  out  in 
other  races  when  occasion  arises.  While  there  can 
be  no  excuse  for  her  horrible  murder  of  innocent 
men,  women  and  children,  yet  there  are  many 
things  to  be  taken  into  account  when  we  come  to 
the  bar  of  exact  justice. 


VII 


ORIGIN  OF  CHINESE  MISSIONS  IN  AMERICA 

HE  presence  of  so  many  thousands  of  these 
strange  people  in  our  country,  where  the 
spirit  of  Christianity  in  some  measure 
prevails,  could  not  fail  to  arouse  the 
interest  of  inany  warm  hearts  with  the 


wish  to  do  them  good.    Whatever  might  be  thought 

of  the  desirableness  of  having  such  a  peculiar  people 

in  our  land,  those  bearing  the  spirit  of  Christ  could 

90 


ORIGIN  OF  MISSIONS 


91 


not  leave  them  alone  in  their  ignorance,  without 
trying  to  put  some  gospel  light  into  their  dark  minds. 
So,  at  an  early  date,  organized  effort  was  made  to 
reach  them. 

In  1852,  a  Memorial  was  sent  from  the  Presbytery 
of  California  to  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  in  New  York,  asking  that  a  Christian 
mission  be  planted  among  the  Chinese  on  the  Pacific 
Coast.  To  this  request  the  Board  most  heartily 
responded. 

Rev.  Wm.  Speer,  D.D.,  who  had  been  a  mission- 
ary in  Canton,  China,  for  four  years,  and  who  was 
compelled,  on  account  of  impaired  health,  to  return 
to  this  country,  was  appointed  by  the  Board  to  this 
work.  Dr.  Speer's  knowledge  of  the  Canton  dia- 
lect, and  his  experience  in  mission  work  in  China, 
especially  qualified  him  for  this  position.  He,  with 
his  wife,  sailed  from  New  York  in  October,  1852, 
and  entered  the  Golden  Gate  on  the  6th  of  the  fol- 
lowing month.  He  was  welcomed,  not  only  by  the 
Christian  people  of  our  own  race,  but  also  by 
several  Chinamen  who  had  been  instructed  in  Chris- 
tian schools  in  China. 

Dr.  Speer  at  once  entered  upon  his  mission  work 
with  great  earnestness  and  zeal.  He  found  that  one 
of  the  most  immediate  and  urgent  needs  of  these 
immigrants  was  medical  aid.  Greedy  and  merciless 
ship  owners  at  Hong  Kong  treated  the  Chinese 
much  as  the  Africans  were  treated  in  the  days  of 
the  old  slave  trade.  Hundreds  were  packed  down 
under  the  hatches  of  small  vessels,  or  in  miserable 


92     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


old  hulks  of  ships;  the  promised  voyage  of  a  few 
days  being-  often  prolonged  into  months.  This, 
along  with  wretched  food,  brought  on  disease,  so 
that  in  some  cases,  from  one-fourth  to  one-third  of 
those  on  board  died,  and  were  cast  into  the  sea. 
Many  of  those  who  survived  reached  San  Francisco 
broken  down  in  health  and  in  great  need  of  medical 

help.  Dr.  Speer,  being 
a  physician  as  well  as  a 
minister,  opened  a  dis- 
pensary, which  was  not 
only  of  great  benefit  to 
their  bodies,  but  secured 
their  confidence  gener- 
ally, and  opened  the  way 
for  a  favorable  hearing 
of  the  Gospel. 

Regular  preaching 
services  were  begun  in 
February,  1853,  before  a 
large  audience  of  Chinese 
and  Americans.  A  Sab- 
bath school  was  speedily 
commenced  in  connection  with  this  service.  The 
sermon  was  first  preached  in  Chinese,  and  afterwards 
repeated  in  English.  The  first  American  mission- 
ary to  China,  the  Rev.  Dr.  E.  C.  Bridgman,  with 
his  wife,  being  in  the  city,  were  present  at  this  first 
service,  and  Dr.  Bridgman  made  a  short  address 
after  the  sermon. 

A  number  of  Chinese  Christians,  who  had  been 


REV.  \VM.  SPEER,  U.  D. 


ORIGIN  OF  MISSIONS 


93 


converted  in  China,  were  found  in  San  Francisco, 
and  four  of  these  were  organized  into  a  Chinese 
Church  on  November  6th,  1853.  This  was  the  first 
Chinese  church  in  the  new  world.  The  elder 
chosen  was  Lai  Sam,  a  brother  of  the  wife  of  Leung- 
A-fah,  a  famous  evangelist  in  China — the  first  native 
evangelist  in  modern  times.  He  was  ordained  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Morrison,  the  first  modern  mis- 
sionary in  China. 

Dr.  Speer  was  encouraged  in 
his  labors,  by  seeing  a  number 
of  men  apparently  led  to  faith 
in  Christ,  who  afterwards  bore 
faithful  witness  to  the  fact  in 
their  lives.  Yet  he  baptized 
only  one.  This  was  Yeung 
Fo,  who  became  an  active, 
earnest  colporteur  of  the 
American  Tract  Society. 

Dr.  Speer  very  early  took 
measures  to  secure  a  perma- 
nent home  for  the  mission.  A 
lot  was  purchased  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  Stockton  and  Sacramento  streets, 
afterwards  so  well  known  as  800  Stockton  Street. 
At  the  close  of  a  lecture  given  by  the  Doctor  to 
secure  a  building  fund,  a  contribution  from  Ameri- 
cans and  Chinese  was  received,  amounting  to  eight 
thousand  dollars.  By  other  means  twelve  thousand 
more  was  raised.  Later,  this  sum  was  increased  by 
a  loan  of  five  thousand  from  the  Board  of  Foreign 


94     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


Missions;  and  a  building  suited  to  the  needs  of  the 
work  at  that  time  was  erected.  The  upper  story  pro- 
vided a  home  for  the  missionary.  The  main  story 
was  a  chapel  and  study ;  and  the  basement  was  used 
for  school  and  other  purposes.  The  building  was 
dedicated  in  July,  1854.  Subsequently  the  sub- 
scribers relinquished  their  claims  upon  the  property, 
and  it  was  deeded  to  the  Presbyterian  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions. 

The  writer  has  in  his  possession  the  original 
subscription  book,  which  is  an  interesting  little 
document.  It  contains  the  names  of  persons  and 
business  firms  who  were  contributors  to  the  building 
fund  of  the  Mission  House,  many  of  whom  are 
familiar  to  old  Californians.  Among  them — many 
of  whom  gave  five  hundred  dollars — are  found  such 
names  as  these:  Henry  Haight,  John  P.  Haven, 
Wm.  T.  Coleman,  James  B.  Roberts,  Thos.  H. 
Selby  &  Co.,  Flint,  Peabody  &  Co.,  Nathaniel  Gray, 
H.  P.  Billings,  Palmer  Cook  &  Co.,  and  J.  L. 
Folsom. 

As  many  Chinamen,  especially  among  the  younger 
men,  were  desirous  to  learn  English,  an  evening 
school  was  opened  at  an  early  date,  and  the  room 
soon  filled  with  scholars.  This  gave  an  opportunity 
not  only  to  impress  upon  them  religious  knowledge, 
but  to  enlighten  them  in  geography,  astronomy, 
and  other  branches  of  science.  Globe,  telescope, 
magic  lantern,  and  other  apparatus  were  used  in 
giving  instruction.  Many  of  the  pupils  developed 
into  intelligent  men  who  proved  themselves  very 


ORIGIN  OF  MISSIONS 


95 


useful  in  helping  to  elevate  their  own  people,  both 
in  this  country  and  in  China. 

Some  of  them  are  spoken  of  by  Dr.  Speer,  as 
undertaking  manufactures  by  American  methods, 
and  with  American  machinery.  Others  became 
intelligent  and  trusted  employees  in  American 
financial  and  commercial  establishments.  One 
remarkable  man  was  helped,  through  a  noble  Chris- 
tian friend,  to  perfect  himself  in  engine  and  steamer 
building.  He  constructed  at  San  Francisco  a  beau- 
tiful and  complete  steamboat  a  few  feet  long.  He 
afterwards  exhibited  at  Sacramento  a  small  locomo- 
tive, an  open  car,  and  a  railroad  track,  which  his 
friends  claimed  was  the  first  passenger  railroad  on 
the  Pacific  Coast.  After  returning  to  China,  he 
became  connected  with  the  Imperial  Arsenal  at 
Shanghai. 

A  newspaper  was  also  established  by  Dr.  Speer, 
called  "The  Oriental."  It  was  a  good-sized  sheet, 
published  in  English  and  Chinese.  Matter  suited  to 
the  American  readers  was  printed  on  one  side,  and 
that  for  the  Chinese  was  lithographed  on  the  other. 
It  was  paid  for  almost  entirely  by  advertisements 
in  each  language.  The  Chinese  part  was  under  the 
management  of  Mr.  Lee  Kan,  who  had  been  edu- 
cated in  the  Morrison  Mission  School  of  Hong  Kong. 
And  here  let  me  say  of  Lee  Kan,  that  for  long  years, 
although  an  unpright,  useful,  and  highly  respected 
citizen,  he  made  no  public  profession  of  religion. 
But  later  in  life  he  showed  remarkable  strength  of 
character;  and  bore  witness  to  the  grace  of  God  by 


96     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


entirely  givin*,'-  up  the  long-indulged-in  opium  habit, 
and  making  a  decided  profession  of  faith  in  his 
Redeemer.  He  died  in  peace  in  San  Francisco,  and 
had  a  Christian  funeral  from  our  Chinese  Church. 
Great  respect  was  shown  to  his  memory.  Lee  Kan 
was  a  member  of  the  first  Chinese  Bible  class  in  this 
country,  which  was  taught  by  Mr.  T.  C.  Hambly. 

The  Oriental  news- 
paper, during  the  two 
years  of  its  existence,  was 
of  marked  service  to  the 
mission.  It  accomplished 
much  in  the  way  of  allay- 
ing prejudice,  and  in 
making  the  two  races,  who 
were  so  ignorant  and  sus- 
picious of  each  other, 
better  acquainted. 

In  1855,  those  who  were 
antagonistic  to  the  Chi- 
nese succeeded  in  induc- 
KKv.  A,  w.  j.cMiMis,  D.IK  iHg  thc  Lcglslaturc  of 
the  State  to  pass  a  very 
burdensome,  imjust  mining-tax  law.  This  law 
was  intended  to  drive  all  Chinese  from  the  mines, 
if  not  from  the  country.  In  the  face  of  impend- 
ing ruin,  the  Chinese  turned  to  Dr.  Speer  for 
deliverance.  He  boldly  came  to  the  front,  and 
pleaded  their  cause  in  this  great  crisis.  He  pre- 
pared a  strong  plea  for  justice  in  a  pamphlet, 
which  was  widely  circulated.    This  was  the  means 


ORIGIN  OF  MISSIONS 


97 


of  creating?  a  strong  public  sentiment  against  these 
outrageous  laws.  He  also  presented  to  the  Legis- 
lature a  memorial  signed  by  large  numbers  of  our 
very  best  people,  asking  for  a  repeal  of  the  cruel 
laws.  Such  an  avalanche  of  protest  was  rolled  upon 
each  House,  that  they  repealed  the  bills  by  a  major- 
ity of  three  to  one.  There  was  great  rejoicing 
among  the  Chinese,  and  they  were  deeply  impressed 
by  the  fact  that  they  were  saved  wholly  by  the  appli- 
cation of  Christian  and  humane  motives.  In  both 
public  and  private  ways  they  showed  their  appreci- 
ation of  the  benefits  which  they  had  received 
through  the  mission. 

Dr.  Speer's  ability  and  lovely  Christian  character 
won  for  him  the  highest  regard  of  all  classes,  and 
especially  of  the  Chinese.  He  was  untiring  in  his 
labors,  not  only  in  direct  evangelical  work  for 
them,  but  he  sought  in  all  ways  within  his  power  to 
advance  their  welfare.  For  many  years  his  name 
justly  formed  a  green  spot  in  the  memory  of  the 
Chinese,  and  he  was  long  known  as  "The  China- 
man's fiiend. " 

His  abundant  and  diversified  labors  proved  too 
mirch  for  his  strength ;  and  after  four  years  of  suc- 
cessful labor,  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  the  work 
and  return  to  the  East. 

There  is  another  name  which,  along  with  that  of 
Dr.  Speer,  is  worthy  of  honor  in  this  connection. 
I  refer  to  that  of  Rev.  A.  W.  Loomis,  D.D.  He 
too  was  the  "Chinaman's  friend."  He  succeeded 
Dr.  Speer  in  1859,  and  for  thirty-two  years  was  a 


98     THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


devoted  laborer  in  this  work.  Dr.  Loomis  and  his 
wife  had  been  missionaries  in  Ningpo,  China.  The 
dialect  of  that  province  was  so  entirely  different 
from  the  Cantonese,  that  he  could  not  at  first  preach 
to  the  Chinese  on  the  Coast.  But  because  of  his 
knowledge  of  the  written  language,  which  is  the 
same  in  all  parts  of  China,  and,  by  the  aid  of  an 
interpreter,  he  was  able  to  commence  Sabbath  serv- 
ices at  once.  A  Thursday 
evening  prayer-meeting 
was  opened;  a  suspended 
Sunday  school  was  re- 
sumed ;  and  an  evening 
school,  which  was  sup- 
ported from  the  public 
school  funds,  was  opened 
for  the  study  of  English. 
This  school  was,  in  fact, 
the  first  public  school  for 
Chinese  in  California,  or 
in  this  country.  Dr. 
Loomis  for  years  spent 
much  time  and  strength 
in  carrying  the  message  of  salvation  to  the  Chinese 
wherever  he  could  find  them.  He  visited  them  in 
their  Company  houses,  in  their  stores,  shops,  and 
factories,  and  made  tours  into  the  adjoining  towns, 
and  into  the  mines  where  many  were  then  laboring. 

All  the  members  of  the  Chinese  church  organized 
by  Dr.  Speer,  except  two,  had  returned  to  China, 
and  the   church  had  become  disorganized.  Dr. 


ORIGIN  OF  MISSIONS 


99 


Loomisdid  not  attempt  its  reorganization  until  1866. 
On  the  15th  of  March  of  that  year,  twelve  Chinese 
brethren  sent  in  a  petition  to  the  Presbytery  of  Cali- 
fornia, of  which  the  following  is  a  translation : 

"We  brethren,  a  few  names,  heretofore  baptized 
and  associated  as  a  holy  assembly  for  the  purpose  of 
hearing  the  Word,  receiving  the  ordinances,  and  for 
mutual  aid  and  oversight;  also  having  for  some 
years  enjoyed  the  care  and  oversight  of  Dr.  Loomis 
as  pastor  and  teacher;  now  we  respectfully  petition 
the  ministers  and  elders  of  California  Presbytery  to 
receive  and  understand  [said  petition],  earnestly 
begging  your  honorable  body  to  receive  us,  to  watch 
over  and  protect  us  the  same  as  other  churches  of 
your  honorable  Presbytery;  and  if  consistent  with 
the  wisdom  and  pleasure  of  your  worthy  body,  per- 
mit us  to  select  of  the  brethren  one  to  become  a 
ruling  elder,  and  also  give  to  us  as  a  pastor  that  per- 
son whom  the  honorable  gentlemen,  acting  in  behalf 
of  the  General  Assembly,  may  from  time  to  time 
select  and  send  here  to  preach  the  Gospel.  This  is 
what  our  hearts  desire. 

"San  Francisco,  in  the  fifth  year  of  Tung  Cha, 
first  month,  twenty-fifth  day. 

"Kum  Ah  Lum,  Sam  Shuen,  Tarn  Ching, 
Sho  To  Ming,  An  Yeang  Shing,  Mung  Mau, 
Leang  Tih  Foo,  Wang  Ah  Heng,  Chin  Shing 
Sheang,  Woo  Tsun  Yuen,  Tsoi  Sheang  Ke, 
Fung  Shai  Wo." 
Four  of  these  men  had  been  baptized  in  China, 
but  the  other  eight  were  the  ingathered  fruits  of  this 


loo    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


mission.  The  prayer  of  the  petitioners  was  granted; 
the  church  was  organized;  and  Chin  Shing  Sheang, 
who  had  been  Dr.  Loomis'  teacher  and  assistant, 
was  chosen  and  ordained  as  ruling  elder. 

Dr.  Loomis  toiled  on  alone  for  many  years,  but  a 

time  was  reached  when 
the  demands  of  the  mis- 
sion called  for  more 
aggressive  work.  As  I 
had  been  a  missionary  in 
J'-  Canton,  and  had  acquired 

SL  '^jL         I    a  knowledge  of  the  lan- 

^     .Jif A^k  guage  and  familiarity 

with  the  customs  of  the 
people,  I  was  requested  to 
join  him  in  San  Francisco. 
Accordingly,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1870,  I  left  the 
church  in  Girard,  Pa., 
where  pleasant  pastoral 
relations  for  three  years  had  been  enjoyed,  and 
began  a  work  which  has  been  carried  on  with  little 
interruption  until  the  present  time. 


REV.  I.  M.  COXDIT,  11.  D. 


VIII 


STEPS  IN  ADVANCE 

HE  Presbyterian  Church  occupied  the  field 
alone,  with  one  exception,  until  1868. 
Rev.  J.  L.  Shuck  began  work  for  the 
Baptists  at  Sacramento  in  1854,  but  the 
work  soon  ceased  to  exist.  In  1868  Rev. 
Otis  Gibson,  D.D.,  who  had  been  a  missionary  in 
China  for  ten  years,  established  a  mission  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  San  Francisco.  A 
commodious  building  was  erected  on  Washington 
Street  for  chapel,  school.  Rescue  Home,  and  dwell- 
ing purposes,  and  vigorous  work  carried  on.  After 
the  death  of  Dr.  Gibson,  the  Rev.  F.  J.  Masters, 
D.D.,  was  called  to  the  superintendency,  and 
brought  to  it  not  only  a  valuable  experience  acquired 
in  China,  but  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Chinese 
language,  and  unusual  power  as  a  speaker.  A  Con- 
gregational mission  was  opened  in  1870  by  Rev.  W. 
C.  Pond,  D.D.,  who  has  during  almost  the  entire 
time  been  the  efficient  superintendent,  with  Rev. 
Jee  Gam  as  active  Chinese  superintendent  and  pas- 
tor. In  1898  the  mission  secured  a  fine  location  on 
Brenham  Place,  and  has  fitted  up  the  building  for 
chapel,  schoolroom,  and  quarters  for  Christians  and 

lOI 


I02    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


their  families.  The  Rev.  John  Francis,  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  established  a  mission  in  1870.  After 
his  death,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hartwell  became  superin- 
tendent. By  his  efforts  a  Mission  House  was 
erected  at  the  corner  of  Sacramento  street  and 
Waverly  Place,  for  the  preaching  of  the  Word, 
evening  school  for  men,  and  day  school  for  the  little 
ones.  Since  Dr.  Hartwell's  return  to  China,  the 
work  has  been  principally  in  the  hands  of  the  native 
pastor,  Rev.  Tong  Kit  Hing,  who  excels  as  a  scholar, 
and  as  an  effective,  eloquent  preacher.  The  opening 
of  so  many  new  mi.ssions  awakened  earnest  Christian 
men  and  women  in  the  Churches  to  some  sense  of 
their  responsibility  to  this  heathen  people. 

But  outside  of  the  missions,  what  could  be  done? 
A  yawning  gulf  lay  between  them  and  the  heathen 
population.  The  Chinese  lived  entirely  within 
themselves,  bound  up  closely  in  their  own  customs 
and  superstitions.  They  were  extremely  suspicious 
of  us,  and  cherished  strong  feelings  of  enmity 
against  the  people  who  had  in  many  ways  inflicted 
deep  wrongs  upon  them.  They  had  no  desire  to 
learn  the  religion  of  those  who  had  treated  them  so 
unjustly  and  cruelly.  All  this  made  it  no  easy  mat- 
ter to  get  near  them  so  as  to  allay  their  suspicions, 
and  have  them  understand  our  good  intentions. 
Even  when  this  was  accomplished,  it  seemed  impos- 
sible to  convey  any  religious  instructions  to  their 
dark  minds.  The  barrier  of  an  unknown  tongue 
lay  between  us.  They  had,  for  the  most  part,  an 
imperfect  knowledge  of  our  business  English,  and 


STEPS  IN  ADVANCE 


the  language  of  spiritual  truth  was  all  a  blank  to 
them.  Yet,  difficult  as  the  task  was,  there  were 
noble  Christian  men  and  women  with  warm,  earnest 
hearts,  who  were  willing  to  undertake  their  instruc- 
tion. 

As  the  Chinese  were  anxious  to  learn  English,  the 
plan  of  Chinese  Sunday  Schools  was  adopted.  They 


CARVING    OK    IIKAVE.N,    EARTH,    AND  SEA 


were  opened  in  nearly  all  the  prominent  churches  of 
San  Francisco,  and  at  other  important  ^joints  on  the 
coast.  As  the  Chinese  have  gone  east,  schools  have 
been  opened  for  them,  until  now  these  schools  are 
found  in  more  than  seventy  of  the  cities  and  towns 
of  our  land  where  the  Chinaman  is  found  in  any 
numbers.  Those  in  Boston,  Philadelphia,  New 
York,  Chicago,  Pittsburg,  and  New  Orleans  are 


I04    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


especially  effective.  In  these  cities  there  are  not 
only  fine  Sunday  schools;  but,  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  organized  mission  work,  which  has  produced 
blessed  results  in  the  conversion  of  many  scores  and 
hundreds  of  souls. 

Attendance  upon  the  Sunday  school  for  but  an 
hour  a  week  made  progi'ess  very  slow,  and  it  took  a 
long  time  for  the  pupils  to  be  able  to  read  the  Bible 
with  any  intelligence.  For  this  reason  other  work, 
where  it  could  be  done,  was  associated  with  that  of 
education.  The  value,  however,  of  the  Sunday 
school  is  not  to  be  estimated  alone  by  the  amount  of 
English  or  hy  the  actual  measure  of  truth  which  was 
acquired,  but  also  by  the  spirit  of  love  which 
reached  the  hearts  of  the  pupils  through  the  teach- 
ing given  by  consecrated  Christian  workers.  Sitting 
down  by  the  side  of  a  Chinaman,  and  teaching  him 
simple  words  was  as  really  teaching  him  Christianity 
as  in  the  case  of  the  missionary  who  preached  to  him 
the  Gospel  in  his  own  tongue.  They  were  deeply 
impressed  by  the  unselfish,  self-sacrificing,  loving 
spirit  of  these  teachers;  and  their  humble  ministry- 
brought  forth  rich  fruit  in  many  a  Chinese  soul. 

Some  one  going  along  the  street,  where  one  named 
Ah  Wan  was  at  work,  heard  him  singing  the  hymn 
which  he  had  learned  in  the  vSunday  school,  "I  want 
to  be  an  angel,  and  with  the  angels  stand,  a 
crown  upon  my  forehead,  a  harp  within  my  hand." 
He  thought  it  the  best  thing  he  had  ever  heard, 
that  Ah  Wan  should  aspire  to  the  angelic  state,  and 
have  "a  harp  '  and  "crown."    But  why  not?  May 


STEPwS  IN  ADVANCE 


he  not  become  a  saved  soul  in  the  spirit  kind?  It 
mig-ht  be  absurd,  if  what  an  eminent  hiwyer  once 
said  is  true — "I  don't  believe  the  Chinaman  has  a 
soul;  and  if  he  has,  it  is  not  wortli  saving."  There 
are  no  people  on  earth  who  have  proved  themselves 
more  susceptible  to  kindness,  more  grateful  for  what 
has  been  done  for  them,  or  more  capable  of  entering 


GROCERY 


into  the  very  spirit  of  Christ  than  the  Chinese. 
From  long  years  of  experience  among  them  I  am 
perfectly  sure  of  what  I  affirm. 

The  good  work  done  in  Chinese  Sunday  schools 
has  no  doubt  been  lessened  by  some  mistakes  which 
have  been  made.  Designing  Chinese  have  occa- 
sionally imposed  upon  loving,  sympathetic  teachers, 
and  have  cajoled  them  into  giving  aid  which  was 


io6    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


neither  needed  nor  deserved.  Scholars  have  some- 
times been  unwisely  petted ;  and  some  have  made 
profession  of  religion  merely  to  please  their  teach- 
ers. When  these  returned  to  their  heathen  homes, 
they  could  not  endure  bitter  persecution,  and  their 
religion  melted  away  like  dew  before  the  morning 
sun.  Under  proper  regulation,  I  do  not  see  any 
objection  to  young  ladies  acting  as  teachers  in  Chi- 
nese Sunday  schools.  Some  of  these  have  done  a 
noble  and  most  successful  work,  and  yet  I  think 
the  practice  has  been  occasionally  abused.  The 
indiscriminate  receiving  of  presents,  and  even  seek- 
ing for  them,  has  also  injured  the  good  effects  of  the 
work.  Still,  the  experience  of  many  years  has 
proved  these  schools  to  have  been  of  incalculable 
blessing  to  thousands  of  Chinese.  By  their  agency 
many  have  been  led  to  Christ.  Some  of  the  bright- 
est Christians  have  been  nurtured  in  them.  I  have 
had  excellent  opportunity  of  meeting  many  of  these 
scholars  on  their  way  home  to  China,  and  am  glad 
to  bear  this  testimon}'.  One  whom  I  met  was  con- 
verted in  a  Sunday  school  in  Cincinnati,  and  after 
making  in  a  washhouse  what  to  him  was  quite  a  for- 
tune, was  going  back  home  to  devote  his  time  and 
money  to  the  teaching  of  his  people.  Another,  from 
a  school  in  Washington,  D.  C,  spent  some  time  in 
my  chapel  at  Oakland,  and  I  never  saw  a  more 
warm-hearted,  consecrated  soul,  or  one  more  anx- 
ious to  do  others  good.  These  are  but  two  instances 
taken  at  random  from  among  scores  of  the  same 
kind.    Those  who  are  working  in  Chinese  Sunday 


STEPS  IN  ADVANCE 


schools  have  no  need  to  be  discouraged,  but  contra- 
riwise, have  every  reason  to  be  greatly  cheered  in 
doing  their  share  in*  winning  benighted  souls  to  the 
blessed  Redeemer. 

Not  only  has  the  Gospel  found  its  Way  into  many 
hearts,  making  them  Christians ;  but  the  study  of 
English  in  the  Sunday  school,  as  well  as  contact 
with  Christian  people  and  with  our  civilization,  has 
brought  still  more  into  a  new  world,  and  made  them 
into  new  men.  It  has  even  improved  their  personal 
appearance,  and  has  put  a  new  light  into  their  coun- 
tenances, as  is  so  often  remarked  upon  by  those  vis- 
iting the  schools  and  missions.  The  crust  of  igno- 
rance and  separation  which  surrounded  them  has 
been  broken.  A  door  has  been  opened  into  their 
inner  beings  through  which  new  light  begins  to  pour 
in.  When  a  Chinaman  once  learns  English  he  can 
never  be  the  same  man  that  he  was  before. 

Although  he  may  see  much  that  tends  to  make  a 
very  bad  impression  upon  him,  yet  our  religious 
institutions,  our  Sabbaths  with  their  services,  the 
universal  recognition  of  one  God,  together  with  all 
our  appliances  of  advanced  civilization,  have  a  pow- 
erful effect  in  breaking  up  his  faith  in  idolatry,  and 
making  him  feel  the  throbbings  of  new  life. 

Hitherto  Christian  civilization  has  had  all  the  dis- 
advantages of  contact  with  paganism  on  its  own  soil 
by  a  few  missionaries  and  merchants;  but  here,  for 
the  first  time,  paganism  comes  as  a  visitor  upon  Chris- 
tian soil,  and  sojoiirns  for  a  while  amid  the  genius 
and  spirit  of  our  Gospel  institutions.    What  might 


io8    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  vSEE  HIM 


not  be  done  with  all  this  advantage,  if  we  only  acted 
according  to  what  we  profess!  Even  with  all  our 
failures,  a  deep  impression  has  been  made  upon  the 
minds  and  hearts  of  this  heathen  people.  Though 
all  has  not  been  accomplished  that  was  hoped  for,  on 
account  of  our  wrong  treatment  of  these  aliens,  yet 
the  force  of  Christian  life  and  truth  has  done  not  a 
little  to  overcome  their  clannishness,  to  stir  their 
stagnant  minds,  to  destroy  their  foolish  supersti- 
tions, to  lift  them  into  a  higher  civilization,  and  to 
bring  them  into  the  faith  of  the  blessed  Gospel  of 
Christ. 


IX 


EDUCATION 

HINESE  Sunday  Schools  created  a  thirst 
for  knowledge  which  they  could  not  sat- 
isfy. For  this  reason  evening  schools 
were  opened  wherever  it  was  practicable. 
The  new  missions  started  them,  and  all 
turned  their  attention  to  this  branch  of  work  as 
never  before.  Not  that  these  schools  ever  for  a 
moment  took  the  place  of  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel ;  they  were  simply  a  net  to  draw  the  people 
in,  that  the  truth  might  be  preached  to  them. 

The  evening  school  of  the  Presbyterian  mission 
grew  apace  until  there  were  sometimes  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  in  attendance.  The  basement  being 
entirely  too  small,  it  was  found  necessary  to  use  the 
chapel  as  a  schoolroom,  and  the  hall  as  a  recitation 
room.  Great  interest  was  manifested,  and  great 
advance  made  in  the  study  of  the  English  language. 

The  annual  exhibitions  of  the  school,  which  were 
held  for  a  number  of  years  in  its  palmy  days,  will 
never  be  forgotten  by  any  who  attended  them.  The 
chapel  being  entirely  too  small  to  hold  the  crowd  of 
Americans  and  Chinese  who  wished  to  attend,  the 
exercises  were  held  in  the  great  auditorium  of  the 


no    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  which  was  filled  to  over- 
flowing. I  cannot  give  a  better  idea  of  what  they 
were  like  than  by  making  some  quotations  from 
reports  written  at  the  time  b}'  Mrs.  Sarah  B. 
Cooper:  "The  church  was  beautifully  decorated  in 

honor  of  the  occa- 
sion; and  every 
available  space 
was  occupied  by 
eager  listeners 
who  had  assem- 
bled to  witness  the 
carrying  out  of 
the  interesting 
program  of  exer- 
cises. The  body 
of  the  church  was 
mainly  devoted  to 
the  Chinese  pu- 
pils, whose  gen- 
erally demure  and 
immobile  counte- 
nances had  taken 
BRONZE  INCENSE  URN  Oil  their  hoHday 

aspect,  and  were 
all  aquiver  with  enthusiasm  and  delighted  expect- 
ancy. 

"After  the  preliminary  exercises,  Luin  Limg  gave 
the  opening  address.  His  plea  for  his  own  race  was 
well  put,  and  there  was  genuine  pathos  in  the  clos- 
ing utterance,  'Treat  us  kindly,  love  us  and  help 


EDUCATION 


III 


us,  and  we  will  do  our  best  to  show  ourselves 
worthy  of  your  kindness. '  Lee  Bow  repeated  Scrip- 
ture quotations  with  good  enunciation  and  apparent 
comprehension.  Fong  Fon  declaimed  with  much 
vigor,  'Keep  to  the  right.'  The  playing  and  singing 
of  Fong  Doon  was  notably  good.  Bulwer's  inimi- 
table poem,  'There  is  no  death,'  was  given  by  Ching 
Tong  with  an  earnestness  that  might  have  been 
born  of  conviction.  Lau  To  repeated  the  twenty- 
third  Psalm  with  a  clear  intonation.  The  versatility 
of  Lum  Lung  was  shown  in  the  nicety  and  precision 
with  which  he  spoke,  recited,  played  and  sung.  He 
ranks  among  the  best  pupils  of  the  school.  Lee 
Gim  recited,  'O  send  forth  the  Bible,  more  precious 
than  gold.'  Wong  Shiu  gave,  'I  love  to  hear  the 
story, '  with  good  effect.  The  quartette  singing  of 
Fong  Doon,  Lum  Lung,  Lu  How  and  Loi  Mong  was 
creditable — time,  expression,  and  harmony  all  being 
good.  The  recitation  of,  'The  old,  old  story,'  by 
Lau  King,  Lee  Ark,  Loi  Mong  and  Gaw  Moy,  fol- 
lowed by  the  singing  of  the  same  by  the  school,  gave 
pleasant  variety ;  and  the  zest  with  which  the  chorus 
joined  in  the  refrain  betokened  genuine  apprecia- 
tion and  feeling. 

"But  the  feature  of  the  entertainment  most 
remarkable  and  best  calculated  to  exhibit  the  intel- 
lectual grasp  and  keen  appetency  for  knowledge  of 
the  Chinese  was  the  examination  of  the  classes  in 
spelling,  arithmetic,  grammar,  geography,  history, 
and  astronomy.  The  questions,  which  were  varied 
and  general  in  their  scope,  embracing  a  fair  range 


112    THE  CHINAMAN  AvS  WE  SEE  HIM 


in  all  the  different  branches  named,  were  promptly 
and  correctly  answered,  not  a  single  mistake  occur- 
ring- during  the  entire  examinations.  This  is  but 
an  exemplification  of  the  rigid  painstaking  and  per- 
sistent fidelity  of  the  Mongolian  race,  to  whatever 

they  set  the  m  - 
selves  to  accom- 
plish. And  when 
it  is  remembered 
that  all  these 
pupils  are  busily 
employed  during 
the  day,  and 
many  of  them  a 
part  of  every 
evening,  the  im- 
provement is 
most  remarkable. 

"  But  I  want 
most  especially 
to  emphasize  the 
examination  o  f 
Fong  Noy,  a  very 
intelligent  and 
scholarly  C  h  i  - 
nese,  not  only  in 
the  branches  above  named,  but  also  in  natural  phi- 
losophy, chemistry  and  algebra,  with  all  of  which  he 
seemed  equally  familiar.  The  most  abstruse  ques- 
tions were  answered  with  a  clearness  of  mental  per- 
ception, an  evident  comprehension  of  the  subject, 


A  GLIMP.SE  INTO   THK  FUTURE 


EDUCATION 


"3 


and  an  originality  of  expression,  that  evinced  some- 
thing far  higher  than  a  mere  technical  knowledge  of 
the  subject  under  discussion.  This  was  the  more 
remarkable  when  it  was  ascertained  that  Fong  Noy 
was  employed  all  day,  devoting  his  evenings  only  to 
study;  and  a  part  of  these  is  occupied  in  learning 
the  art  of  telegraphy.  Rev.  Mr.  Condit,  who 
conducted  this  examination,  evidently  propounded 
questions  at  random,  without  regard  to  any  previous 
special  preparation.  Indeed,  there  was  an  entire 
absence  of  any  suspicion  of  cramming. 

"The  best  of  the  wine  was  reserved  for  the  close 
of  the  feast.  Sz  Kwai  with  great  energy  and  fire 
declaimed,  'Man  the  Life  Boat  '  He  was  loudly 
applauded.  Lem  vShau  was  persistently  encored  in 
his  rendering  of  Marco  Bozzaris;  Gow  Moy  was  also 
cheered  for  his  nice  recital  of,  'Twice  had  the  sun 
gone  down  upon  the  sepulchre. '  Fong  Doon  did  no 
dishonor  to  Patrick  Henry,  in  his  rehearsal  of  that 
famous  speech,  which  has  been  tortured  and  mutil- 
ated by  man}?  a  youthful  orator,  beginning,  'They 
tell  us  we  are  weak,  and  unable  to  cope  with  so 
formidable  an  adversary. '  Fong  Doon  showed  him- 
self equal  to  cope  with  the  speech,  and  the  audience 
cheered  lustily.  Two  happily  conceived  dialogues, 
written  to  exhibit  the  difficulties  in  mastering  the 
English,  on  account  of  the  various  modes  of  pro- 
nouncing the  same  class  of  words,  provoked  great 
merriment  and  cheers.  The  keen  appreciation  of 
the  Chinese  who  spoke  them,  with  their  significant 
gestures,  added  greatly  to  their  relish. 


114    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


"When  we  note  all  we  saw,  we  are  astonished  at 
ourselves  that  we  show  no  greater  zeal  in  this  work 
of  evangelization  which  God  has  placed  at  our  very 
doors.  As  Rev.  Dr.  Piatt  so  justly  remarked,  we 
have  much  to  learn  from  this  patient,  painstaking 
people;  and  this  wondrous  juxtaposition  of  the  two 
s^-reat  races  has  a  double  mission  involved  in  it.  We 

are  not  dealing  with  a  dull, 
stupid,  besotted  people, 
but  with  a  keen,  energetic, 


intellectual  race;  and 
whatever  differences  of 
opinion  may  exist  in  re 
gard  to  the  social  or  civil 
aspects  of  the  questions 
involved  in  this  commin- 
gling of  the  nations,  there 
can  be  but  one  opinion  in 
reference  to  the  industrial 
and  educational  tenden- 
cies of  Mongolian  mind." 


A  CHRISTIAN  MKRCHANT  During  thls  flourishlug 

school  period  conversions 
were  constantly  rejoicing  our  hearts.  Rich  harvest 
seasons  were  enjoyed.  Eleven  were  added  to  the 
church  at  two  different  communions  during  her  his- 
tory, nine  at  another,  eight  at  each  of  two  others, 
and  smaller  numbers  at  almost  every  communion. 
No  one  year  -  has  been  specially  marked  by  the 
ingathering  of  souls,  but  each  year  a  steady  advance 
has  been  made.    In  the  year  1897  thirty-two  were 


EDUCATION 


"5 


baptized,  fifteen  of  whom  came  into  the  church  at 
one  time.  At  the  close  of  the  century,  and  after 
nearly  fifty  years  of  existence,  the  San  Francisco 
Church  has  received  three  hundred  and  sixty  mem- 
bers; while  in  all  the  other  stations  at  least  five 
hundred  more  have  come  into  obedience  to  the  faith 
of  the  Gospel. 


X 


CHINESE  Y.  M.  C.  A. 

CHINESE  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation was  formed  in  1870.  The  consti- 
tution and  by-laws  are  like  those  of  our 
own  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  with  adaptations  to  the 
special  needs  of  the  Chinese.  The  new 
movement  was  at  the  first  a  union  of  all  denomina- 
tions, and  it  soon  became  a  very  popular  organi- 
zation. Wherever  the  Christian  Chinaman  went, 
he  introduced  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  feature  into  the 
schools  and  missions.  Soon,  however,  an  amicable 
separation  into  denominational  associations  was 
made  by  the  several  missions,  as  it  was  found  better 
for  each  mission  to  look  after  its  own  men,  and  to 
work  along  its  own  lines.  All  the  missions  have 
central  societies  in  San  Francisco,  with  branch  socie- 
ties at  the  different  points  where  work  has  been 
established.  To  the  central  society  all  membership 
and  contributions  are  reported. 

The  Association  of  the  Presbyterian  mission — 
which  is  the  mother  of  them  all — has  branches  in 
twelve  different  Statesj  within  a  triangle  having 
Boston,  New  Orleans,  and  Victoria,  B.  C,  for  the 

points  of  its  boundary.     There  are  thirty  branch 

116 


CHINRSR  Y.  M.  C.  A. 


"7 


societies  in  willi  several  liuiulied  members. 

More  than  a  thousand  members  have  belonged  to 
this  Assoeiation  since  its  beginning.  A  number  of 
the  chapels  which  our  j-oung  men  have  built,  or 
helped  to  build,  in  China,  have  received  liberal  aid 
from  the  fund  of  this  organization. 

The  Association  combines  social  and  religious 
elements,  and  is  composed  of  both  active  and  asso- 
ciate members.  Any  person  of  good  moral  charac- 
ter, willing  to  renounce  idolatry,  to  acknowledge 
the  fundamental  truths  of  Christianity,  and  desiring 
to  associate  with  Christians,  may  become  an  associ- 
ate member.  The  Association  by  this  broad  policy 
has  ever  been  helpful  in  leading  the  way  out  of 
healhenie-rii  towards  the  religion  of  Je.-ms,  and  into 
the  Chuvch  of  Christ.  Those  who  enter  it  become 
learners  in  the  truth,  and  most  of  them  soon  become 
ready  to  confess  Christ  as  their  Savior  by  being  bap- 
tized into  his  name.  In  our  present  large  building 
in  San  Francisco,  there  is  a  fine  Association  room, 
in  which  the  members  take  much  pride,  keeping  it 
in  an  attractive  condition. 

A  large  portion  of  the  Chinese  have  wives,  children 
and  homes  in  their  own  land.  We  often  call  them 
"boys,"  but  most  of  them  are  husbands  and  fathers. 
Chinese  domestic  life  is  well  illustrated  by  their 
frequent  visits  to  their  native  land.  If  they  have 
been  at  all  successful  in  gaining  a  few  hundred 
dollars,  as  most  of  them  have  been,  they  wish  to 
visit  their  friends  in  China.  What  they  earn  and 
save  is  not  for  themselves,  but  it  is  used  for  the 


ii8    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  vSEE  HIM 


family.  When  parents,  or  elder  brother  if  parents 
are  dead,  call  for  them  to  go  home,  they  must  obey 
at  any  sacrifice.  If  their  parents  are  old  and  feeble, 
and  wish  them  to  return  home  to  marry,  their 
unquestioned  duty  is  to  obey.  So,  when  they  tell 
me  they  are  going  to  sail  at  a  certain  time,  they  say, 
"My  mother  calls  me  to  go  home."  And  one  of 
their  first  duties  upon  their  return  is  to  build  a 
home  for  their  parents,  if  it  is  needed,  and  marry  a 
wife  to  take  care  of  them.  To  a  Chinaman  it  is  not 
to  "leave  father  and  mother  and  cleave  to  his 
wife,"  but  to  take  a  wife  of  the  parents'  own  choos- 
ing to  serve  his  father  and  mother.  To  obey  their 
parents,  to  toil  and  sacrifice  for  them,  is  a  religious 
duty  which  the  wide  ocean  does  not  in  the  least 
affect.  A  comparatively  small  portion  of  them 
bring  their  families  to  this  country,  and  so  they 
dwell  among  us  without  strong  family  ties.  Yet 
they  are  great  lovers  of  home,  and  very  social  in 
their  nature.  Hence  they  have  connected  with  their 
Association  a  Young  Men's  Home.  Members  tem- 
porarily in  the  city,  and  those  who  are  without 
work,  find  this  an  attractive  social  center.  This 
brings  them  as  near  to  domestic  life  as  their  circum- 
stances will  permit. 

The  society  has  its  constitution  and  by-laws  bound 
in  a  neat  little  book,  along  with  the  Ten  Command- 
ments, the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Apostles'  Creed. 

I  speak  of  this  important  adjunct  to  Christian  mis- 
sions because  the  character  of  the  organization  has 
been  misunderstood.    Some  have  classed  it  with  the 


chinp:se  y.  m.  c.  a. 


"9 


Chinese  guilds,  and  have  feared  that  objectionalile 
features  might  be  introduced  into  it,  and  its  dis- 
tinctive Christian  tone  be  lost.  To  show  more  fully 
that  its  spirit  and  aims  are  what  they  should  be,  I 
give  a  translation  of  its  Preamble,  and  of  a  few  of 
the  thirty-three  laws  which  pertain  to  its  nature  and 
work : 

Preamble: — "As  doctrine  eminated  from  Heaven, 
therefore  holy  men  honor 
Heaven,  and  superior 
men  fear  Heaven.  Em- 
perors and  kings  are 
ordained  of  Heaven. 
Nothing  whatever  is  able 
to  contradict  doctrine,  or 
successfully  oppose 
Heaven. 

"But  alas,  usages  have 
ruined  men's  hearts,  so 
that  they  are  not  as  in 
olden  time;  and  they  now 
long  for  power,  lust  and 
riches.  If  they  do  not 
seek  to  please  Buddha,  then  they  wish  to  learn  of  the 
Genii.  The  doctrine  of  the  good  being  blessed,  and 
the  bad  suffering  woe,  is  no  longer  understood. 
Those  who  seek  doctrine  and  love  righteousness  are 
few.  If  it  had  not  been  that  the  true  God  loved  the 
world,  and  sent  His  only-begotten  Son,  Jesus  Christ, 
into  the  world  to  make  known  the  heavenly  doc- 
trine, and  the  Holy  Spirit  to  change  men's  hearts. 


AN  OFFICER   IX  Y.  M.  C.  A. 


I20    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


the  wide  world  would  be  living  as  in  a  dream,  and 
perish  forever. 

"Therefore  we  gather  ourselves  together  and 
organize  this  Association,  that  we  might  inform  each 
other  about  the  true  doctrine,  establish  ourselves  to 
act  according  to  the  truth,  and  not  fall  into  crooked 
ways;  but  be  loyal  to  our  superiors,  dutiful  to  our 
parents,  and  walk  in  the  right  path.  Though  it  is 
not  easy  to  do  this,  yet,  as  yoi;ng  men,  we  ought  to 
learn.  For  mutual  aid,  we  ought  to  be  joined 
together  as  loving  friends,  so  as  to  exhort  each 
other  more  earnestly,  and  polish  each  other  contin- 
ually by  contact.  This  is  what  we  deeply  expect  by 
this  Association." 

The  first  rule  explains  the  name,  and  says,  "The 
purpose  of  this  Association  being  to  exhort  each 
other  to  do  good,  learn  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ's 
Gospel,  love  one  another,  and  help  each  other  to 
avoid  temptation ;  therefore,  we  call  it  Ki-  Tiik  Van 
Hok  Ching  To  Ui — 'Young  Christians  Learning 
Upright  Doctrine  Society. '  We  ought  exceedingly 
to  think  upon  this  name,  and  reflect  on  its  great 
meaning. ' ' 

Another  rule  runs  thus,  "If  any  one  washes  to  join 
this  Association  he  must  have  a  member  acquainted 
with  his  character  to  recommend,  as  one  who  desires 
to  unite  in  order  to  learn  the  truth.  It  is  the  duty 
of  all  the  members  to  make  inquiry  into  the  motives 
inducing  anyone  to  join;  and  after  he  has  joined 
the  societ}'  he  is  presented  with  a  copy  of  the  con- 
stitution, and  of  the  New  Testament,  as  a  badge  of 


CHINESE  Y.  M.  C.  A. 


123 


his  membership.  He  is  required  to  keep  the  laws, 
and  learn  the  new  doctrine.  He  has  to  familiarize 
himself  with  the  Ten  Commandments,  Creed  and 
Lord's  Prayer,  that  he  may  use  them  in  the  meet- 
ing, and  wherever  he  may  be." 

A  rule  also  reads,  "In  each  meeting,  whatever  is 
good,  each  shall  exhort  the  others  to  do,  and  to 
warn  them  against  all  evil.  Those  who  are  not 
members  are  to  be  treated  kindly,  and  persuaded  to 
come  to  school,  and  to  learn  the  truth;  hoping  that 
they  will  reform  from  sin,  become  new  men,  and 
join  the  Association  as  brethren." 

Another  rule  reads,  "If  any  member  does  wrong, 
or  breaks  the  rules  of  the  Association,  the  officers 
shall  warn  him  three  times,  and  if  he  does  not 
repent,  he  is  suspended,  and  his  name  is  hung  up 
on  the  bulletin  board.  If  he  truly  repents  and 
acknowledges  his  fault,  he  can  become  a  member 
again.  But  his  name  will  have  to  be  hung  up  for 
three  months;  thus  informing  the  society  of  his 
desire  to  return.  If  the  brethren  are  convinced 
that  he  is  really  sincere,  then  he  will  be  acknowl- 
edged again  as  a  brother.  But  if  suspended  a  sec- 
ond time,  he  never  can  become  a  member  again." 

By  one  rule,  all  members  are  forbidden  "to  gossip 
in  the  Association  room,"  and  in  their  conversation 
they  are  "to  respect  each  other,"  and  show  that 
they  are  "dwelling  together  in  mutual  harmony." 
Loud  speaking  is  prohibited,  that  they  may  "make 
manifest  their  good  breeding,"  and  show  "their 
respectable  character. ' ' 


124    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


No  playing  of  dominoes  or  chess  is  allowed,  as 
such  games  tend  to  cause  trouble.  The  customs 
and  laws  of  the  American  and  Chinese  nations  are 
not  to  be  discussed,  as  they  have  nothing  to  do  with 
learning  the  truth,  and  there  is  danger  of  such  dis- 
cussion producing  dissension. 


XI 


"ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES"  IN  CHINESE 

ECAUSE  we  have  laid  strong  emphasis 
upon  the  schools  and  other  organizations, 
it  must  not  be  inferred  that  these  are 
the  only  factors  in  the  work  of  the  mis- 
sion. Itinerate  work  has  an  important 
place,  and  we  say  from  the  heart,  God  bless  the 
laborious  native  preachers  and  colporteurs. 

Many  noble  men  have  been  raised  up  in  the  mis- 
sions of  the  various  churches — not  fewer  than  half 
a  hundred  in  all — who  have  gone  up  and  down  this 
country,  and  have  also  witnessed  for  Christ  in  their 
own  land.  Mung  Mau,  Shing  Chack,  Sit  Moon,  and 
many  others  whom  I  cannot  stop  to  name,  all  con- 
verted in  California,  rise  up  before  me  as  I  write. 
Zealous  according  to  their  lights,  self-denying  and 
constant,  these  faithful  servants  of  Christ  have  gone 
about  preaching  and  teaching,  as  did  the  disciples 
of  old. 

They  have  visited  not  only  the  larger  towns  of  the 
interior,  but  have  also  gone  to  mining  camps,  vil- 
lages, ranches,  and  all  the  localities  whete  the  Chi- 
nese could  be  found.  As  they  have  gone  from  place 
to  place  they  have  often  traveled  long  distances  on 

J27 


128    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


foot,  sleeping-  wherever  they  could  find  a  shelter; 
preaching,  explaining  the  Gospel,  exhorting  as  they 
had  opportunity.  Sometimes  their  audience  has  con- 
sisted of  only  one  or  two,  found  in  stores,  in  lonely 
cabins,  or  at  work  over  their  rockers  in  the  mines. 
They  have  had  larger  numbers  on  the  crowded 
streets  of  country  villages,  when  men  gathered  in 
from  the  surrounding  districts  on  the  Sabbath ;  or  on 

the  streets  in  the  Chinese 
ciuarters  of  the  larger 
towns.  A  great  deal  of 
precious  seed  has  been 
sown  in  this  way.  The 
dear  heavenly  Father  only 
knows  where  the  seed  fell, 
and  in  whose  heart  it  took 
root.  And  yet  the  hearts 
of  the  laborers,  from  lime 
to  time,  have  been  cheered 
by  seeing  souls  brought  to 
Clirist. 

One  of  the  native  work- 
ers who  has  labored  both 
in  this  country  and  at  home,  had  the  strange  experi- 
ence while  in  China  of  casting  out  devils  by  praj-er, 
so  that  in  all  the  region  where  he  lived,  he  was 
known  and  sent  for,  as  "the  Jesus  man"  who  cast 
out  devils.  Kum  Lum,  who  worked  in  Idaho,  was 
said  to  have  been  the  best  Christian  in  the  State. 
The  silver-tongued  Tam  Ching  preached  Christ  in 
California  irntil  he  was  taken  home  by  death. 


SHING  CH.\CK 


"ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES"  129 


Another  convert  is  a  valuable  assistant  physician 
/n  Dr.  Kerr's  gieat  hospital  in  Canton.  Kan  Kai, 
the  first  man  upon  whom  I  pronounced  the  solemn 
baptismal  words  in  Chinese,  and  also  liis  friend 
Tsun  Wa.  are  elders  in  the  Second  Church  of 
Canton. 

I  want,  however,  to  speak  specially  of  four  con- 
verts who  were  not  only  ordained  by  the  church,  but 


out  to  preach  Jesus,  and  I  will  not  turn  back."  He 
labored  for  a  while  in  Sacramento,  where  the  mem- 
ory of  his  name  is  still  fragrant ;  and  then  returned 
to  China,  with  a  heart  burning  for  larger  usefulness. 
He  was  a  fine  scholar  in  his  own  language,  and  an 
ardent  student  of  the  Bible,  and  so  was  soon  fitted 
for  active  work.  He  longed  to  hold  up  Christ  in  his 
native  town  of  Kau  Kong,  the  most  populous  trade- 


were  also  /(^rrordained 
from  above,  as  ambassa- 
dors for  Christ. 


Kivan  Loy  was  a  house 
servant  when  converted. 
Not  long  after  his  conver- 
sion he  felt  called  of  God 
to  preach  Christ  to  his 
people,  and  began  to  study 
to  this  end.  His  employer 
sought  repeatedly  to  have 
him  return  to  work,  and 
even  offered  him  double 
wages;  but  Kwan  Loy 
said,  "No,  I  have  started 


REV    KWAN  LOY 


130    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


center  in  the  silk  district.  The  way  opening,  he 
joyfully  went  there  and  fitted  up  a  chapel.  Soon 
fieice  opposition  arose.  Placards  were  posted 
denouncing  him  as  a  renegade.  A  reward  of  ninety 
dollars  was  offered  for  his  head,  but  he  fearlessly 
continued  in  the  face  of  the  most  violent  opposition 
to  preach  the  Gosj^el.  At  length  a  mob,  hired  by 
the  gentry  for  fifty  cents  each,  broke  into  the  chapel 
and  destroyed  all  its  contents.  He  and  his  medical 
assistant  escaped  to  the  city  of  Canton.  By  the  aid 
of  the  magistrate  to  whom  appeal  was  made,  the 
chapel  was  repaired,  and  Kwan  Loy  declared  his 
readiness  to  return.  But  scarcely  had  the  doors 
been  opened,  when  a  furious  mob,  encouraged  by 
those  in  authority,  attacked  the  place,  crying  for 
the  blood  of  the  Christians.  The  persecuted  band 
escaped  through  the  loof,  and  with  friendly  aid 
reached  Canton  in  safety.  Kwan  Loy's  house  and 
property  were  confiscated,  but  he  loved  Christ  more 
than  the?e.  His  wife  and  one  of  his  brothers  weie 
soon  after  converted.  The  mission  in  Canton 
at  that  time  had  no  native  ordained  ministers. 
The  California  mission  firrnished  them  the  first 
one.  Kwan  Loy,  with  two  others,  was  set  apart 
to  the  ministry,  and  he  was  soon  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  Second  Church  of  Canton,  which 
he  faithfully  and  efficiently  served  for  a  suc- 
cession of  years.  Being  a  most  prudent,  reliable 
and  consecrated  man,  he  was  sent  up  the  North 
River,  far  into  the  interior,  to  Lein  Chow,  to 
open  up  and  take  charge  of  a  difficult  work.  At 


"ACTS  OF  THE  Al'OS'l'LES  " 


this  post  he  still  remains,  laboring  with  indefati- 
gable zeal. 

Soo  Hoo  Nam  Art  arrived  in  California  in  1875,  a 
young  man  of  twenty.  He  says  of  himself,  "I  had 
never  heard  of  the  Gospel  and  knew  nothing  of 
Christ  until  I  came  to  San  Francisco.  When  I 
heard  of  the  Mission  Schools  I  wanted  to  go  to 
them,  but  I  had  to  work 
so  hard  and  so  late  to  get 
m)'  living  that  I  could  not 
attend,  and  my  heart  was 
almost  broken  because  I 
could  not  go  to  these 
schools.  The  only  chance 
I  had  to  learn  was  on  Sun- 
days. How  glad  and  busy 
I  was  on  that  day !  I  took 
my  book  with  me  to  attend 
four  Sunda}'  schools,  and 
one  or  two  meetings  every 
Sunday.  After  a  year  I 
had  a  better  chance  to 
learn,  and   found  that 

Jesus  was  my  Savior,  and  was  baptized  " 
Soon  after  this  he  went  to  Santa  Rosa  and  opened 
a  laundry ;  and  in  his  desire  to  do  his  people  good 
he  was  largely  instrumental  in  opening  a  school 
which  afterwards  developed  into  the  Santa  Rosa 
Mission.  Returning  home  to  his  native  town  of 
Chick  Horn  for  a  visit,  he  preached  for  nearly  a 
year  in  the  little  chapel  of  the  Canton  Mission,  and 


RKV.  soo  HOO  NAM  ART 


132    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


opened  a  school  in  which,  as  he  says,  "fifteen  boys 
were  taught  the  way  of  life. ' '  Speaking  of  his 
mother  and  relatives,  he  says,  "When  I  got  horiie 
I  told  them  what  the  Christian  people  believe,  and 
what  I  knew  of  the  Bible,  and  they  were  pleased  to 
hear  what  I  had  to  say,  and  received  the  Word  of 
God  gladly.  Then  we  had  a  little  prayer  meeting 
in  our  house  every  evening." 

Nam  Art  returned  to  California,  and  labored  sev- 
eral years  as  a  helper,  his  sphere  of  labor  extending 
from  Santa  Rosa  on  the  north  to  Los  Angeles  on 
the  south.  He  re-established  our  mission  in  Santa 
Barbara,  and  in  every  way  rendered  most  effective 
service.  Going  back  to  China,  he  was  elected  elder 
in  the  Second  Church,  in  Canton.  Later,  he  was 
licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Canton,  and  suc- 
ceeded Rev.  Kwan  Loy  as  acting  pastor  of  the 
Church.  More  than  one  hundred  were  received 
into  the  church  during  his  pastorate.  Most  of  the 
time  he  preached  fifteen  times  a  week.  In  1894, 
he  again  returned  to  San  Francisco,  and  is  now  my 
assistant  pastor,  preaching  every  week  in  San  Fran- 
cisco,Oakland,  and  Alameda;  conducting  an  evening 
Bible  class,  and  doing  many  kinds  of  pastoral  labor. 

Huie  Kill  received  his  first  religious  instruction  in 
connection  with  the  Oakland  Mission.  He  was 
converted  in  1874.  Before  long  the  desire  arose  in 
his  heart,  as  he  says,  to  go  to  China,  and  prepare 
himself  to  be  a  missionary  to  his  people.  By  the 
advice  and  help  of  Rev.  Dr.  Eells,  who  always  took 
a  warm  interest  in  him,  he  and  his  friend  Chin 


"ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES" 


Gim.,  went  to  Lane  Seminary,  in  which  tlie  doctor 
was  then  a  professor.  He  spent  in  all  six  years  in 
stud)',  some  of  the  time  in  the  seminary,  and  a 
part  of  the  time  at  other  institutions  of  learning. 
The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  then  called  him  to 
New  York,  to  take  charge  of  a  mission  to  the  Chi- 
nese in  that  city.  For  nearly  fifteen  years  he  has 
earnestly  given  himself  to  this  work;  during  which 
time  he  was  ordained  by 
the  Presbytery  of  New 
York.  Forty-four  converts 
in  all  have  been  baptized 
in  his  mission.  Many  of 
these  have  returned  to 
China,  and  have  identified 
themselves  with  Christ's 
cause  there.  Some  of  them 
have  opened  schools  and 
helped  to  organize 
churches,  in  places  where, 
a  few  years  ago,  the  name 
of  Jesus  was  unknown. 

A  recent  year's  record 
of  Huie  Kin's  work  in  New  York,  shows  an  enroll- 
ment in  the  Sabbath  school  of  three  hundred  and  three 
names,  and  an  average  attendance  of  eighty-one. 
Thirty  attended  the  Sunday-afternoon  Chinese  serv- 
ice; and  twentj'-five  were  in  Huie  Kin's  Bible  class. 
Four  of  the  young  men  of  this  mission  are  now  en- 
gaged as  assistant  superintendents  of  Sunday  schools, 
and  one  is  studying  to  be  a  medical  missionary. 


134    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


Ng  Poon  Chezv,  while  a  boy  in  China,  studied 
under  a  Taoist  priest,  and  was  being  fitted  for  the 
priesthood,  when  the  desire  to  come  to  California 
seized  his  heart.  He  vowed  before  the  idols  which 
he  consulted,  that  when  he  returned  from  "the  land 
of  gold"  he  would  devoutly  worship  at  their  feet — a 
vow  which  he  is  never  likely  to  fulfill.  He  first 
went  to  San  Jose,  where  an  uncle  placed  him  in  the 


ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  San  Francisco,  he 
was  placed  in  charge  of  the  three  mission  stations 
of  Los  Angeles,  Santa  Barbara,  and  San  Diego. 
Here  he  has  given  a  good  account  of  himself 
for  energetic,  successful  work.  He  is  often  asked 
to  speak  in  our  American  churches,  and  can  readily 
command  the  attention  and  awaken  the  interest  of 
any  audience  before  which  he  speaks. 


REV.   NG  POON  CHEW 


I. 


mission  school  to  learn 
the  English  language. 
After  his  conversion  he 
came  to  San  Francisco, 
and  entered  the  Occidental 
school,  and  also  pursued 
several  studies  under  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Kerr.  Feeling 
himself  called  of  God  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry, 
he  entered  the  theological 
seminary  at  San  Anselmo, 
from  which  he  graduated 
with  high  honors.  Shortly 
after  being  licensed  and 


"ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES" 


In  1898  Ng  Poon  Cliew  began  the  publicalion  of  a 
weekly  Chinese  newspaper,  in  connection  with  his 
other  work.  This  enterprise  became  merged  into  a 
daily  paper,  published  in  San  Francisco,  the  first 
daily  Chinese  paper  published  in  our  country.  It 
has  no  Sunday  issue.  Though  a  secular  paper  in 
its  general  character,  yet,  being  under  the  full  con- 
trol of  Christian  men,  six-sevenths  of  the  stock  being 
held  by  them,  it  is  a  power  for  the  advancement  of 
truth  and  righteousness  among  this  heathen  people. 

The  paper  is  called  Tlie  Chioig  Sai  Yat  Po, 
"Chinese  and  Foreign  Daily  News."  In  its  pro- 
duction three  different  fonts  of  type  are  used.  Each 
font  has  eleven  thousand  different  kinds  of  charac- 
ters, and  each  character  or  type  is  a  full  word; 
there  being  no  alphabet  in  the  Chinese  language. 
As  there  are  many  duplicates  of  the  more  common 
words,  there  are  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
pieces  in  a  font,  or  seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
different  pieces  in  the  three  fonts.  This  makes  the 
setting  of  type  an  elaborate  work.  The  type  are 
cast  in  Tokyo,  Japan.  The  Japanese  use  the  Chi- 
nese characters  in  their  written  language,  in  addition 
to  another  set  of  letters  which  they  combine  with 
the  Chinese  characters. 

Through  the  publishing  of  such  a  paper,  Ng  Poon 
Chew  can  probably  do  moi-e  for  the  advancement  of 
his  people  in  intelligence  than  in  any  other  direc- 
tion in  which  the  forces  of  his  life  might  be 
expended. 


XII 


"  so  AS  BY  FIRE" 

N  the  early  days  of  mission  work,  there 
were,  on  the  coast,  very  few  good  Chi- 
nese women.  Here  and  there  a  respect- 
able woman  stood  out  as  a  type  of  the 
better  classes  at  home.  But  soon  men 
began  to  bring  wives  from  China,  or,  what  was 
more  common,  to  take  secondary  wives  here,  they 
being  a  nation  of  polygamists. 

First  wives  are  always,  second  wives  are  never, 
small  footed.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  custom 
of  foot-binding  is  maintained.  Parents  want  their 
girls  to  be  first  wives — not  concubines,  and  so  they 
bind  the  feet  of  their  little  ones  that  they  may  have 
this  honorable  place.  Some  say  a  queen  who  had 
club  feet  introduced  the  custom,  that  she  might  not 
be  ashamed  of  her  feet;  but  this  is  a  doubtful 
explanation.  Some  are  cruel  enough  to  insinuate 
that  the  custom  was  introduced  to  keep  wives  at 
home,  that  they  might  not  visit  their  neighbors  to 
gossip.  The  custom  has  been  in  vogue  for  more 
than  a  thousand  years.  Few  small-footed  women 
are  found  here,  which  shows  that  most  of  the  wives 
in  this  country  are  secondary  ones;  except  in  the 

136 


so  AS  RV  FIRE' 


137 


case  of  those  who  are  Christians.  Women  with 
bound  feet  seldom  540  out,  and  hence  there  are  more 
of  them  than  many  have  supposed.  The  number  of 
Chinese  women  gradually  increased  in  this  country, 
until,  at  one  time,  there  were  said  to  be  six  thou- 
sand in  San  Francisco  alone — the  great  majority  of 
whom  were  immoral.  That  class  has,  however, 
greatly  decreased  in  numbers,  while  those  living  in 
families  have  increased.  There  are  now  not  more 
that  three  thousand  women  in  San  Francisco,  all 
told,  of  whom  the  larger  proportion  are  of  bad 
character. 

In  1873,  and  in  all  the  years  since  then,  my  wife 
has  been  regularly  engaged  in  visiting  among  the 
Chinese  women.  This  work  has  often  been  done  by 
going  through  dark,  winding  pas.sage  ways,  iip  two 
or  three  flights  of  steep,  tortuous  stairways,  into 
small,  illy- ventilated  rooms.  In  these  rooms  meet- 
ings have  been  held,  lessons  in  domestic  and  sani- 
tary improvement  have  been  given,  and  Scripture 
truths  explained  and  applied.  This  has  been  a 
laborious  work.  It  has  not  brought  speedy  results, 
but  many  have  become  interested,  and  through  such 
desultory  effort  the  foundation  of  what  has  after- 
wards become  organized  institutional  work  has 
been  laid.  Other  missionary  ladies  have  done  a 
somewhat  similar  work. 

A  class  made  up  of  women  gathered  from  these 
homes  that  were  visited,  was  brought  together  in 
the  upper  story  of  the  Mission  House.  These  meet- 
ings were  industrial  and  social  in  their  character; 


138    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


but  religious  teaching  and  devotional  exercises 
formed  a  part  of  each  programme.  In  these  meet- 
ings Mrs.  Loy  Mong  was  very  helpful.  Her 
appearance  was  plain,  even  to  homeliness,  but  she 
was  one  of  God's  own  children.  I  understand  she 
was  converted  through  the  direct  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  without  human  agency.  She  lived  and 
died  a  humble  Christian. 


RESCUE  H(JMK 


Mis.  Ching  Yuen  was  the  first  Chinese  woman  on 
the  coast  to  unite  with  a  mission  Church.  She  was 
brought  to  this  country  in  i860  as  a  hereditary 
slave.  From  the  bonds  of  this  form  of  slavery  she 
knew  no  way  of  escape.  She  passed  from  one  owner 
to  another,  until  a  Chinese  merchant,  one  of  the  first 
and  most  interesting  pupils  of  the  mission  school, 
purchased  her,  and  made  her  his  wife.    They  were 


so  AS  BY  FIRE 


139 


married  by  a  Christian  ceremony.  Later,  she  stood 
beside  het  husband  in  the  chapel,  when  they  were 
both  baptized  and  received  into  the  Church.  Hav- 
ing no  children,  they  adopted  three  girls,  two  of 
whom  married  respectably.  One  was  recently  bap- 
tized, her  husband  having  long  been  a  member  of 
the  church. 

About  this  time  a  few  ladies  organized  societies 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  Chinese  Rescue 
Homes.  One  of  these  societies  was  composed  of 
ladies  in  connection  with  the  Chinese  M.  E.  Mis- 
sion, who  formed  and  fostered  a  Home,  which 
has  done  most  excellent  work  in  the  saving  of 
many  girls.  The  other  was  a  Presbyterian  society, 
which  eventually  became  the  Occidental  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions,  covering  the  whole  Synod  of 
California  No  history  of  work  done  for  Chinese 
women  and  children  on  this  coast  would  be  complete 
without  telling  of  the  self-sacrificing  effot  ts  of  the 
noble  women  of  this  board,  and  some  of  the  many 
results  of  their  labors.  Mrs.  P.  D.  Browne  has  been 
the  able  president  of  this  board  for  twenty  years. 
Through  her  administrative  ability,  and  her  strong 
personality,  it  has  gone  on  developing  and  increas- 
ing, until  by  heroic  effort  on  the  part  of  the  elect 
ladies  who  compose  its  membership,  and  by  sub- 
stantial aid  from  the  Foreign  Board  in  New  York, 
the  well-appointed  structure  at  920  Sacramento 
Street  has  been  reared.  This  is  now  the  Mission 
Home,  and  is  the  headquarters  for  much  good  work. 

In  1878  Miss  Margaret  Culbertson  came  under  the 


I40    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


care  of  the  Woman's  Occidental  Board  as  missionary 
matron  of  their  Home.  There  were  ten  girls  in  the 
home,  who  had  been  rescued  from  a  life  of  slavery. 
At  the  close  of  her  eighteen  years  of  service,  five 
hundred  had  found  refuge  within  its  walls,  of 
whom  the  larger  part  were  rescued  by  her  personal 
efforts.    A  -  goodly  number  of   these   have  been 


the  condition  of  the  Chinese  was  ripe  for  a  great  les- 
cue  work  to  be  done,  and  when  one  especially  fitted 
for  it  was  needed,  God  raised  her  up  as  the  one  spe- 
cially qualified  to  fill  the  place.  It  is  emphatically 
true  of  her,  that  she  came  "to  the  kingdom  for  such  a 
time  as  this  "  Most  nobly  did  she  fulfill  her  mission. 
She  showed  a  brave,  heroic  spirit  in  visiting  danger- 
ous haunts  of  vice,  and  snatching  Chinese  girls  out 


converted,  the  names  of 
eighty  being  found  on  the 
church  roll.  Of  these 
many  have  married  Chris- 
tian men  and  have  gone 
out  to  set  up  Christian 
homes  for  themselves. 


MIS.S  MAkGAKEl  LlilORTSON 


Miss  Culbertson  and  her 
work  are  still  held  in  very 
high  estimation.  She  was 
no  common  person.  Hers 
was  an  unusually  noble 
character;  a  self-sacrific- 
ing and  consecrated  life. 
Just  at  a  time  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Home,  when 


"SO  AvS  BY  FIRE  " 


141 


of  a  life  of  slavery.  She  showed  the  same  heroic 
spirit  in  defending  their  cases  in  the  courts.  But  she 
showed  heroism  of  a  far  more  trying  kind,  by  car- 
ing for,  teaching,  and  training  these  undisciplined, 
ignorant  girls  in  the  Home ;  so  that  many  of  them 
became  virtuous  and  useful  Christian  women.  This 
part  of  her  work  required  such  tact,  patience,  and 
firm,  yet  loving  government,  that  few  indeed  would 
have  succeeded  as  she  did.  She  gave  without  stint 
her  strong  physical  strength  to  this  trying  toil,  so 
that  she  was  cut  off  in  the  midst  of  her  years. 
But  her  life  is  not  lost.  It  was  a  grand  success. 
Although  dead,  she  continues  to  live  in  the  lives  of 
those  for  whom  she  labored,  and  suffered,  and  died. 
The  fragrance  of  her  memory  abides  with  all  who 
knew  her,  and  her  example  furnishes  a  powerful 
incentive  to  labor  for  Christ  with  the  same  conse- 
crated spirit. 

Of  one  .of  these  rescued  girls  I  will  let  Miss  Cul- 
bertson  speak  in  her  own  words:  "When  brought 
to  the  Home,  she  was  scarcely  six  years  old;  her 
delicate  form  scarred  and  blackened  by  the  daily 
beating  of  the  woman  who  had  made  her  a  slave. 
Her  case  was  brought  before  the  Humane  Society 
for  children.  Well  do  we  remember  her  as  we  first 
saw  her,  sitting  by  the  fireside  awaiting  our  return 
from  church.  As  we  drew  near  and  spoke  to  her 
she  shrank  away  frightened,  while  tears  and  sobs 
were  her  only  response.  An  hour  later  we  saw  her 
quietly  sleeping  on  her  pillow,  her  hand  tightly 
clasping  a  bit  of  candy,  that  sweet  cornforter  of  child- 


142    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


hood's  sorrows.  As  she  grew  up  to  womanhood, 
she  learned  English,  and  became  our  interpreter." 
She  afterwards  married  the  Rev.  Ng  Poon  Chew, 
who  is  a  graduate  of  San  Anselmo  Theological  Sem- 

i  n  a  r  y,  and  has 


been,  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  the 
pastor  of  the  Chi- 
nese church  in  Los 
Angeles.  She  is 
now  the  wise,  lov- 
ing mother  of  four 
sweet  little  chil- 
dren. 

On  another  oc- 
casion, Miss  Cul- 
bertsun,  through  a 
mother,  learned  of 
the  babe  which  she 
had  deserted,  and 
with  an  officer, 
went  to  Fish  alley 
where  it  was.  The 
owner  of  the  place 


SUFFER  THE  LITTLE  CHILDREN  Said    thcrC    WaS  UO 

babe  there  ;  but 
ascending  the  ladder  to  a  dark  loft,  the  little 
thing  was  found.  The  man  in  his  rage  declared 
he  would  sooner  lose  his  life  than  give  up  the 
child;  but  by  the  support  of  the  officer  Miss  Cul- 
bertson  carried  her  off  in  her  arms  to  the  Home. 


"SO  AS  BY  FIRE 


143 


After  troublesome  proceedings  in  the  court  she  was 
finally  made  the  guardian  of  little  Ah  Lon,  to  whom 
so  many  are  drawn  by  her  sweet  singing  and  attract- 
ive recitations. 

I  will  only  here  speak  of  one  more  child  whom  a 
bad  woman  held  for  debt.  She  was  rescued  and 
carried  to  the  Home  by  an  officer;  but  the  owner 
made  a  desperate  fight  to  regain  her.  Seventeen 
times  Miss  Culbertson  had  to  attend  the  trial.  All 
the  pleas  that  wicked  ingenuity  could  devise,  and 
corrupt  lawyers  advocate,  were  used;  but  finally 
the  right  triumphed,  and  she  was  saved. 


XIII 


p.  p.  A. 

NITIAL  letters,  in  these  days,  stand  so 
often  for  the  names  of  all  sorts  of  soci- 
eties, but  perhaps  none  are  more  signifi- 
cant of  all  that  is  evil,  than  those  at  the 
head  of  this  chapter.  They  represent  a 
society  in  San  Francisco  which  may  be  called  in 
English  "Procurers'  Protective  Association."  It  is 
organized  for  the  sole  purpose  of  importing  Chinese 
slave  girls.  Its  special  work  is  the  raising  of  money 
to  meet  the  expenses  of  fighting  our  courts,  eluding 
the  vigilance  of  honest  customs  of?icers,  and  doing 
all  that  is  necessary  for  carrying  on  this  nefarious 
traffic. 

The  practice  of  courtesan  slavery  was  introduced 
into  this  country  as  early  as  1850.  A  Chinese 
woman  by  the  name  of  Ah  Ho,  who  came  here 
from  Hong  Kong,  saw  that  San  Francisco  was  full 
of  men  of  irregular  habits,  and  that  none  of  her 
countrymen  had  brought  wives  with  them.  At  once 
she  set  her  emissaries  at  work  and  women  came  by 
scores  and  hundreds.  Respectable  Chinese  mer- 
chants tried  to  force  the  return  of  her  first  importa- 
tion, but  were  absolutely  compelled  by  our  own 

144 


/ 


p.  p.  A. 


145 


local  law  courts  to  submit  to  the  injury  inflicted 
upon  them.  The  early  importations  were  largely 
from  the  boat  women — an  ignorant,  viciotis  class, 
who  live  in  the  boats  along  the  Canton  River  and 
in  the  harbors  of  Canton  province. 

This  hydra-headed  evil  planted  in  our  free  soil, 
imder  our  radiant  banner,  gradually  grew  into  a 
regular  traffic  of  the  vilest  and  most  corrupt  kind. 
As  to  the  way  it  has  been  carried  on,  I  am  indebted 
for  some  of  the  facts  recorded  to  Rev.  John  E. 
Gardner,  Interpreter  and  Inspector  of  the  Chinese 
Bureau,  than  whom  no  one  is  more  competent  to 
speak. 

There  are  tvro  ends  to  the  line  of  this  traffic — one 
in  China,  and  one  in  this  country.  In  Canton, 
Hong  Kong  and  Macao  are  houses  used  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  training  up  young,  innocent  girls  for  a 
life  of  shame.  None  are  too  young  to  be  secured, 
as  they  can  be  kept  in  these  nurseries  of  hell  until 
they  are  old  enough  to  be  sent  out  to  their  vile  life. 

There  are  different  ways  of  procuring  young 
victims.  Many  agents  make  this  their  sole  busi- 
ness. They  find  parents  who  are  so  poor  as  to  be 
willing  to  sell  their  daughters  for  a  trifle;  or  who, 
to  secure  money  for  the  vice  of  gambling  or  opium 
smoking,  are  willing  to  sell  their  girls  to  these 
traffickers  in  the  flesh  of  innocent  little  girls.  When 
the  supply  is  scarce,  there  are  gangs  of  kidnappers 
who  steal  or  inveigle  young  girls  from  their  homes. 
In  these  ways  a  large  supply  is  kept  constantly  on 
hand  across  the  waters. 


146    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


On  this  side  there  are  agents,  whose  only  business 
is  negotiating  with  parties  in  Hong  Kong  to  import 
these  victims  to  our  country.  They  are  made  will- 
ing to  come  by  the  promise  that  in  this  land  of  gold 
are  wealthy  merchants  who  want  them  for  wives. 

Written  state- 
-iri^r, .  ments  are  sent 

over  for  these  girls 
to  commit  to  mem- 
ory and  repeat, 
when  questioned 
by  officials  on  this 
side — such  as,  they 
are  coming  to  join 
their  father,  or 
brother,  or  rela- 
tive of  some  sort. 
Since  the  passage 
of  the  Exclusion 
Law,  the  only  plea 
on  which  they  can 
land  is  that  of  be- 
i  ng  American 
born.  Hence  fa- 
t  h  e  r  s,  brothers, 
uncles,  and  cous- 
ins are  trained  to  play  their  part  in  testifying  that  the 
girl  was  born  here,  and  sent  back  when  small. 
Highbinders  generally  act  this  part,  for  a  certain 
percentage  on  each  one  successfully  landed;  thus 
coming  to  the  aid  of  the  P.  P.  A,  's  in  their  evil  work. 


OUT  FOR  A  WALK 


p.  p.  A. 


147 


A  case  in  point  is  that  related  by  Miss  Cameron, 
the  intrepid  successor  of  Miss  Culbertson  in  Rescue 
Work  at  920  Sacramento  Street.  "Jean  Yiny,  the 
only  daughter  of  a  well-to-do  Chinese  manufacturer 
in  Canton,  lived  quietly  with  her  parents  until  about 
fifteen  years  old.  One  day  Jean  Ying  went  to  visit 
friends  who  lived  some  distance  from  her  home. 
On  the  way  she  was  kidnapped  and  quickly  spirited 
off  to  the  distant  seaport  town  of  Hong  Kong. 
There  her  captors  kept  her  for  several  weeks,  until 
a  purchaser  could  be  found  who  would  pay  the 
required  sum  (about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
dollars)  for  this  human  chattel,  and  agree  to  trans- 
port her  across  the  ocean ;  for  were  she  to  remain  in 
China  the  parents  might  recover  her. 

"At  length  a  .slave  dealer  is  found  who  pays  the 
sum  required,  and  she  is  handed  over  to  her  new 
master.  A  few  houis  later  she  is  hurried  on  board 
the  great  steamer  which  is  about  to  set  sail  for  San 
Francisco,  and  soon  the  shore  of  her  homeland  is 
fading  out  of  sight.  Days  and  weeks  pass.  At  last 
the  weary  voyage  is  ended.  Jean  Ying  is  amazed 
and  bewildered  by  much  that  is  new  and  strange, 
and  she  knows  not  where  to  turn  for  help  or  coun- 
sel; so  calmly  resigns  herself  to  fate,  and  answers 
the  questions  of  the  Custom  House  officers  as  she 
had  been  taught  to  do  on  the  long  voyage  out. 

"Among  these  officials  is  one  who  reads  between 
the  lines  of  her  little  story,  and  soon  dispatches  a 
message  to  the  mission ;  in  response  to  which  we 
hasten  to   secure  a  permit,  and   go   aboard  the 


148    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 

steamer  to  interview  this  little  stranger,  whose  sad 
history  we  only  half  guess  At  first  she  is  quite 
unresponsive  to  our  advances,  but  before  we  leave 
she  has  promised  to  send  us  word  if  she  is  landed 
and  put  into  slavery.     Weeks  pass  by  and  no  word 

comes.  At  last  one 
night  a  Chinaman 
appears  at  our 
door,  and  earnest- 
ly entreats  that  we 
go  to  the  rescue 
of  a  'very  young' 
girl  who  has  just 
been  sold  into 
slavery.  We  glad- 
ly consent,  and  as 
a  token  send  her  a 
bright  red  silk 
handkerchief, 
which  will  also  aid 
us  in  identifying 
her.  Late  at 
night,  protected 
by  a  police  officer, 
we  wend  our  way 

WJIKX   RESCUED  .  ^  , 

into  Chinatown, 
and  successfully  make  the  rescue.  Imagine  what 
surprise  and  joy  was  ours  upon  recognizing  in 
the  bearer  of  the  red  silk  handkerchief  our  little 
friend  of  the  steamer.  Jean  Ying  remained  in 
the  Home  with  us  for  some  months,  then  under  the 


p.  p.  A. 


149 


care  of  kind  missionaries  and  one  of  our  Christian 
Chinaman,  she  returned  to  her  home  and  parents. 
Several  letters  have  come  back  telling-  of  her  safe 
arrival;  also  two  letters  from  her  father  expressing 
deepest  gratitude  to  all  who  helped  or  befriended 
his  little  daughter." 

Sharp,  unscrupulous  lawyers  are  always  found  who 
are  ready 
enough  to 
sell  t  h  e  m- 
selves  to  the 
business  o  f 
carrying 
the  cases 
through  the 
customs  and 
courts,  and 
who  make 
large  sums 
when  suc- 
cessful. Dis- 
honest Cus- 
tom House 

officials  and  interpreters  have  found  it  a  profit- 
able business  to  lend  a  hand  towards  landing 
these  girls.  Some  of  them  who  entered  their 
office  poor  have  in  a  short  time  retired  rich 
men.  This  can  be  readily  understood  when  it  is 
known  that  a  girl  costing  from  one  hundred  to  two 
hundred  dollars  in  China,  is  worth  here  from  one  to 
three  thousand  dollars.    Since  the  enforcement  of 


ISO    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


the  Restriction  Law,  and  the  consequent  greater 
difficulty  in  landing  them,  the  market  value  of  these 
girls  has  greatly  increased.  When  they  are  safely 
landed,  if  not  previously  disposed  of,  they  aie 
decked  out  in  gorgeous  silk  clothing,  with  gaudy 
jewels  and  highly-painted  faces,  and  placed  on 
exhibition  for  purchasers  to  see.  When  sold  they 
are  passed  over  to  their  reputed  "husbands"  to 
find  themselves  only  brothel  slaves. 

Many  rebel  fiercely  when  they  discover  how  basely 
they  have  been  deceived.  Let  me  give  an  illustra- 
tion. One  girl  of  sixteen,  after  being  safely  landed, 
was  visited  by  a  slave  holder,  and  asked  if  she  was 
willing  to  go  and  live  in  a  house  of  ill-fame.  She 
indignantly  refused,  saying  that  she  was  to  be  mar- 
ried in  a  few  days.  Then  she  became  suspicious, 
and  began  to  cry.  The  wailing  of  Chinese  women 
is  something  fearful.  They  tried  to  quiet  her  with 
fine  promises,  but  she  could  not  be  pacified.  How- 
ever, the  man  finally  bought  her  for  one  thousand 
five  hundred  and  thirty  dollars,  thinking  by  his 
ownership  to  force  her  into  submission.  As  she 
obstinately  refused,  he  starved  her  for  days,  beat 
her,  and  threatened  to  kill  her.  She  heard  in  some 
way  of  the  Mission  House,  and  waiting  for  an 
opportunity,  succeeded,  with  the  aid  of  friends,  in 
escaping  to  it,  and  was  saved. 

There  is  a  class  of  little  girls  brought  over,  who 
are  held  in  families  as  servants.  Few  Chinese 
homes  are  to  be  found  without  having  in  them  one 
of  these  bond  slaves.    They  are  compelled  to  do 


OF  SUCH  IS  THE  KINGDOM   OK  HEAVEN 


p.  p.  A. 


153 


with 
and 
boil- 
One 


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tf^  .If, 


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^  .jj-  <5 

■X  <;{)  ^  i  ^  f 

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/.£•  iV!,  y  i\ 


the  drudgery  of  the  household.  Often  they  are 
quite  well  treated,  as  it  is  the  intention  of  the  own- 
ers to  sell  them  as  wives,  when  they  become  older ; 
and  they  are  in  this  way  a  valuable  piece  of  prop- 
erty. But  oftener  they  are  intended  for  a  disreputa- 
ble life,  and  are 
treated  in  a  most 
cruel  manner. 
Some  of  them  who 
have  escaped  to 
the  Home  have 
shown  marks  of 
the  most  brutal 
treatment.  They 
are  beaten, 
dragged  by  the 
hair,  burned 
hot  irons, 
scalded  with 
ing  water, 
was  brought  to  the 
Home  by  a  police- 
man  at  three 
o'clock  in  the 
morning,  black- 
ened  and  bruised  by  dreadful  beatings,  half-starved, 
and  covered  with  filthy  clothing.  She  ran  into  the 
street  from  a  brothel,  followed  by  a  number  of  Chi- 
namen, and  took  refuge  in  a  restaurant.  A  police- 
man brought  her  out.  She  clung  to  him  for 
protection.    After  fighting  off  the  men  who  were 


^^1 


i\  V 

S-  )iL  ''^ 

flj    %  >i  n 

rr  ^.  T  fi-  ^^ 


i  i\     ^         'ir  St 


A  BILL  OF  SALK 


154    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


trying  to  get  her  back,  he  took  her  to  the  Home. 
She  is  now  a  Christian  woman,  living  in  a  home 
of  her  own. 

In  the  sale  of  these  girls,  thei*e  is  always  a  written 
contract,  or  bill  of  sale,  such  as  there  would  be  in 
the  sale  of  any  dumb  brute.  The  one  exhibited 
here  has  the  impress  of  the  slave-girl's  inked  finger. 
The  original  is  sometimes  sealed  in  blood.  The 
two  half-characters  is  the  divided  signatiire,  each 
party  to  the  contract  holding  a  copy.  The  inference 
is  that  no  mistake  can  be  made,  as  one-half  of  the 
signature  held  by  one  party  is  the  complement  of 
that  held  by  the  other. 

The  slaveholders  do  not  easily  give  up  their  prey. 
Writs  of  habeas  corpus  are  generally  resorted  to, 
and  our  American  laws  used  to  permit  the  return  of 
escaped  slaves  into  the  dens  of  Chinatown.  The 
arrest  of  girls,  and  the  attempt  to  get  them  out  of 
the  hands  of  those  who  are  seeking  to  save  them, 
is  done  by  villainous  highbinders.  The  work  of 
the  Rescue  Home  has  been  carried  on  in  the  face 
of  their  unremitting,  unscrupulous  opposition,  as 
well  as  in  spite  of  the  aid  rendered  by  shrewd, 
unprincipled  lawyers. 

Until  recently  some  of  these  slave  girls  have  been 
brought  over  in  every  steamer;  sometimes  thirty  at 
one  time.  For  the  present,  as  far  as  the  port  of 
San  Francisco  is  concerned,  this  importation  is 
stopped.  This  is  largely  owing  to  the  work  of  the 
present  interpreter,  Mr.  Gardner.  He  cotild  not  be 
bought,  and  understanding  the  wily  tricks  resorted 


p.  p.  A. 


155 


to  he  has  used  means  to  thwart  the  most  deep-laid 
schemes  for  the  evasion  of  law.  The  leaders  of  the 
P.  P.  A.  are  very  angry  with  him  for  interfering- 
with  their  profitable  trailfic,  and  have  often  threat- 
ened to  take  his  life;  but,  under  a  fearless  sense  of 
duty  he  is  doing  faithfully  the  work  which  God  has 
laid  on  him  to  do. 

But  I  am  glad  to  throw  on  the  canvas  the  brighter 
side  of  this  dark  picture.  After  these  girls  are 
rescued,  many  a  pleasant  romance  of  love  and 
courtship,  according  to  American  ideas,  occurs  in 
their  experience  in  the  Home.  Happy  marriages 
lake  place.  The  voices  of  bright  little  children 
echo  through  newly-created  homes,  and  the  bitter, 
revolting  past  is  forgotten.  But  what  of  the  thou- 
sands who  are  not  reached  by  any  mission  Home: 
They  are  the  slaves  of  greed  and  lust!  How  hope- 
less is  their  outlook!  God  pity  them!  Lovers  of 
mankind,  help  them! 


XIV 


CHURCHES  AND  CHAPELS 

VISIT  made  to  Southern  California  in 
January,  1876,  revealed  a  most  excellent 
field  for  work  among  the  four  or  five 
thousand  Chinese,  found  in  Los  Angeles 
and  its  vicinity.  During  this  visit  a 
flourishing  Chinese  Sunday  school  was  opened.  At 
the  urgent  request  of  Christian  people,  and  for 
health  reasons,  it  was  decided  to  return  to  Los 
Angeles,  and  open  a  mission;  which  was  done  in 
April  of  the  same  year.  A  suitable  building  was 
speedily  erected  and  dedicated;  an  evening  school 
opened,  which  soon  had  on  its  roll  fifty-four  schol- 
ars; and  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  was  organized  with  thirty 
members.  Within  a  year  and  a  half  seventeen  con- 
verts were  baptized.  But  the  missionary's  health 
failed,  and  he  was  compelled  to  relinquish  the 
work.  The  mission,  however,  was  planted  of  God, 
and  He  took  care  of  it.  The  mission  building  pass- 
ing into  other  hands,  the  Chinese  brethren  them- 
selves heroically  raised  twelve  hundred  dollars,  and 
purchased  a  lot,  on  which,  by  the  aid  of  the  Board 
of  Church  Erection,  a  chapel  was  built  at  a  cost  of 
eleven  himdred  dollars. 

i?6 


CHURCHES  AND  CHAPELS  157 

After  nine  years,  when  I  returned  there  for  a  sea- 
son, I  found  that  the  vine  which  had  been  planted  in 
weakness  was  brino;-ing  forth  fruit.  Many  interest- 
ing' young'  men  belonged  to  this  mission.  Some  of 
them  became  noted  for  their  consecration,  and  for 
their  literary  attainments.  One  bright  lad  named 
Ham  Chiu  was  not  more  than  twelve  years  old  when 
I  baptized  him.  At  first  his  uncle  was  very  bitterly 
opposed  to  his  having  anything  to  do  with  the 
mission,  and  severely  whipped  him,  and  shut  him 
up  in  a  dark  room.  He  came  to  us  in  his  trouble, 
and  we  sent  for  his  uncle,  who  came  10  see  us. 
After  much  explanation,  he  consented  to  the  boy's 
return  to  school.  He  learned  very  rapidly,  and 
soon  became  an  active  Christian. 

After  leaving  Los  Angeles,  we  lost  sight  of  him 
for  a  time.  In  i888,  while  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  on  a 
visit,  Mrs.  Condit  and  I  received  a  card  from  a 
caller.  When  he  was  ushered  to  our  room,  we 
found  in  him  a  handsome  young  man,  dressed  with 
exquisite  taste  in  American  style.  He  said  to  us, 
"Don't  you  remember  Ham  Chiu,  the  little  boy  in 
Los  Angeles  whom  you  baptized?"  Of  course,  we 
did.  "Well,  I  am  that  boy."  We  were  astonished 
and  delighted  to  see  him. 

His  story  was  as  follows:  He  left  Los  Angeles 
soon  after  we  did,  and  shipped  from  San  Pedro  as  a 
cabin  boy  on  an  ocean  steamer.  He  had  been  all 
over  the  world  as  a  sailor,  always  carrying  with 
him  the  Bible  given  him  in  the  mission.  One  day 
he  landed  in  Boston,  where  he  left  the  ship  and 


158    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


sought  a  mission  school.  Later  he  went  to  New 
York.  He  had  for  his  teacher  there  the  wife  of  a 
prominent  physician.  She  was  greatly  interested 
in  him,  and  took  him  into  her  fainily  as  a  servant 
and  office  boy.  He  showed  such  bright  parts  that 
he  was  allowed  to  employ  a  portion  of  his  time  in 
study.     Finally  he  entered  the  medical  college,  and 


of  the  door,  I  kindly  put  my  hand  on  his  shoulder, 
and  invited  him  to  come  back.  That  little  act, 
forgotten  by  me,  changed  his  whole  life. 

Another  half-grown  boy,  named  Kim  Yow,  en- 
tered our  school  at  its  beginning.  We  taught  him 
the  alphabet.  He  learned  English  rapidly,  and 
became  ambitious  to  do  something  better  than  work 
in  a  family.    Finally  he  entered  a  store,  and  devel- 


when  we  met  him  he  was 
nearly  ready  to  graduate. 
This  he  ultimately  did, 
and  is  now  known  as  Dr. 
Thoms.  He  is  at  present 
in  charge  of  the  Chinese 
Hospital  in  New  York, 
and  is  an  active  Christian 
man. 


Yll'   KIM  Vt)\V 


To  show  the  effect  of 
one  little,  unconscious  act, 
he  told  me  that  he  was  not 
interested  the  first  night 
he  went  to  school,  and  had 
no  intention  of  leturn- 
ing.    But  as  he  went  out 


CHURCHES  AND  CHAPELS  i6i 


oped  into  a  bright,  active  business  man.  During  all 
these  years  he  has  been  one  of  the  principal  helpers 
in  the  mission  in  Los  Angeles ;  and  when  necessary, 
takes  charge  of  the  services  of  the  church  with  great 
acceptance  to  all.  Recently  he  has  been  chosen 
one  of  the  elders  of  the  church.  Many  visitors 
from  the  East  buy  Chinese  goods  in  his  si:)re,  and 
ever  find  him  a  most  courteous,  gentlemanly  man. 

One  more  case.  When  preaching  on  one  of  the 
.streets  of  Los  Angeles,  a  young  man,  Mo  Heng, 
was  attracted  by  what  I  was  telling  about  the  earth 
being  round ;  and  about  the  relative  positions  of  the 
United  States,  China,  and  Palestine.  I  was  showing 
that  the  Gospel,  beginning  in  Christ's  native  land, 
had  gone  westward  to  America,  and  we  had  heard 
and  embraced  it;  but  it  was  now  traveling  onward, 
and  would,  in  time,  be  embraced  by  the  Chinese. 
Mo  Heng  came  to  the  chapel,  and  was  among  the 
first  to  be  converted.  Soon  a  burning  desire  seized 
him  to  carry  the  Gospel  back  to  his  people.  He 
studied  in  Canton  for  a  while,  and  for  years  labored 
as  a  native  helper.  Dr.  Henry  says  of  him:  "He 
became  a  preacher  of  unusual  ability.  Full  of  gen- 
tleness and  deeply  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Master,  his  desire  was  to  bring  the  truth  to  his  own 
family;  but  instead  of  the  joy  he  hoped  to  cause, 
he  was  received  with  storms  of  abuse.  Their  indig- 
nation knew  no  bounds;  his  wife  and  mother  poured 
reproaches  upon  him  in  a  ceaseless  stream.  He  was 
in  charge  of  a  mission  out-station ;  but  his  wife 
refused  to  accompany  him  to  the  place,  yet  com- 


i62    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


plained  of  his  neglect  in  separating  himself  from 
her.  His  young  brother  became  his  pupil,  and  soon 
professed  conversion;  on  his  return  home  he  was 
beaten,  imprisoned  in  a  room,  and  subjected  to 
great  cruelty  in  order  to  compel  him  to  recant.  Mo 
Heng  hastened  to  his  rescue,  but  could  not  prevail 
on  the  mother  to  allow  him  to  return  to  the  station. 
Excuse  after  excuse  was  made.  The  field  work 
was  behind-hand,  and  he  could  not  be  spared.  This 
objection  was  met  by  Mo  Heng  and  the  missionary 
who  accompanied  him  becoming  husbandmen  for 
the  time,  and  hoeing  the  sweet  potatoes  and  other 
crops  requiring  attention.  The  boy,  however,  was 
not  released;  all  their  efforts  only  extracting  a 
promise,  never  fulfilled,  that  he  should  follow  them 
to  the  station  in  a  few  days.  Every  day  beholds 
the  striking  fulfillment  of  the  words  of  our  Lord, 
"A  man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own  household." 

Mo  Heng  was  the  first  one  to  open  up  work  in  the 
large  market  town  of  No  Foo,  and  help  plant  a 
church  there.  He  spent  his  life  in  "labors  abun- 
dant," and  died  peacefully  in  Canton,  in  the  arms  of 
Dr.  H.  V.  Noyes,  to  whom  he  was  very  warmly 
attached.  But  the  work  which  he  inaugurated  is 
moving  on.  Our  Chinese  brethren  of  America  have 
built  a  fine  chapel  in  No  Foo,  and  a  promising  and 
growing  church  exists  there.  Since  the  founding 
of  the  Chinese  Church  in  Los  Angeles,  one  hundred 
members  have  been  received  into  its  fold. 

On  leaving  Los  Angeles,  in  1877,  we  came  north, 
and  after  restoration  to  health,  entered  on  the  active 


CHURCHES  AND  CHAPELS  163 


work  of  establishing  a  mission  in  Oakland.  A  flour- 
ishing Sunday  school  was  found  in  connection  with 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  with  seventy-five 
scholars,  and  twenty-five  teachers.  A  lot  was 
purchased,  on  which  was  erected  a  suitable  chapel 
and  dwelling.  July  7th,  1878,  a  church  was  organ- 
ized with  sixteen  members,  of  whom  thirteen  were 
from  Dr.   Eells'  church.    This  little  church  was 


OAKLAND  CHAPEL  AND  DWELLING 


greatly  blessed  of  God,  and  no  Communion  passed 
without  additions,  so  that  within  a  year  after  its 
organization  it  numbered  fifty-one  members.  For 
years  an  interesting  feature  of  this  mission,  was  an 
open-air  service  held  every  Sabbath  afternoon  at 
the  Jute  Mill,  where  eight  hundred  Chinese  were 
employed. 


164 


THE  CHINAMAN  AS 


WE 


SEE  HIM 


This  mission,  through  all  the  passing  years,  has 
continued  to  maintain  a  vigorous  life,  and  the  open- 
ing century  finds  it  still  prosperous.  One  hundred 
and  fifty-six  have  been  received  into  the  church 
since  its  organization.  Any  one  who  attends  the 
Thursday  evening  prayer  meeting,  and  sees  the 
loving  cordiality  manifested  by  all,  is  constrained 
to  say,  "Behold,  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for 
brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity."  One  of  the 
elders  was  at  one  time  a  confirmed  gambler.  But 
one  of  our  active  Christian  men  labored  with  him, 
until  he  was  converted  and  reformed;  and  now  no 
lovelier,  more  earnest,  or  more  active  Christian  man 
can  anywhere  be  found. 

The  destitution  of  the  Chinese  living  in  outlying 
towns  created  a  strong  desire  to  begin  a  work  among 
them  at  as  many  points  as  was  practicable.  In 
eleven  of  the  most  important  places  in  the  State, 
stations  were  established,  the  resirlts  of  which  have 
been  most  satisfactory.  Many  of  these  stations 
have  an  interesting  history,  which  I  am  able  to 
touch  upon  very  lightly. 

Several  beginnings  were  made  to  teach  the  Chi- 
nese in  San  Jose,  but  the  organized  and  persistent 
opposition  of  certain  classes  to  the  Chinese  in  the 
San  Jos^  Valley  rendered  them  abortive.  The  M.  E. 
Church  of  the  city  was  burned  to  the  ground,  on 
account  of  a  Chinese  Sunday  school  having  been 
opened  in  it.  After  long  effort  a  room  was 
obtained,  which  served  for  the  Simday  school,  and 
evening  school,  and  also  as  an  audience  room  when 


CHURCHES  AND  CHAPELS 


the  missionary  and  his  helpers  came  to  preach  the 
Gospel.  Some  thirty-five  in  all  have  been  baptized; 
and  one.  Rev.  Ng  Poon  Chew,  of  Los  Angeles,  now 
an  ordained  minister,  was  converted  in  this  mission. 

The  Sacramento  mission  was  begun  in  1870,  by 
the  establishment  of  a  Sunday  school  in  Westmin- 
ster Church.  An  evening  school  was  organized 
soon  after,  and  for  many  years  the  work  was  in  a 
flourishing  condition.  During  its  existence  sixty- 
seven  have  confessed  Christ  as  their  Savior,  and 
thousands  have  received  Christian  instruction. 

Rev.  Nam  Art  spent  a  month  in  Santa  Barbara  in 
1885.  As  a  result  of  his  efforts,  a  mission  was  estab- 
lished there,  which  is  still  in  successful  operation. 
Through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Adams,  a  consecrated 
layman,  a  lot  was  secured,  and  a  neat  chapel  erected 
at  a  cost  of  thirteen  hundred  dollars,  of  which  four 
hundred  were  given  by  the  Chinese.  Later,  they 
built,  in  the  rear  of  the  lot,  an  Association  hall  and 
home  for  themselves,  at  a  cost  of  six  hundred  dol- 
lars. This  makes  a  nice  property  for  the  use  of  the 
mission.  Twenty-two  have  been  received  into  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Santa  Barbara,  under  whose 
care  the  entire  work  has  been  placed. 

A  mission  in  connection  with  the  American 
Church  was  begun  in  San  Diego  in  1889,  which  has 
been  the  means  of  bringing  thirty-seven  Chinese 
into  the  church,  and  we  trust  into  the  kingdom  of 
Christ. 

Alameda  has  a  flourishing  mission.  I  first  organ- 
ized a  Sabbath  school  there  in  1877,  and  not  long 


i66    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


after  an  evening  school  was  opened.  Later  on  it 
was  moved  into  the  parlor  of  Mrs.  Flora  J.  Eraser, 
and  was  taught  by  her  without  compensation.  The 
school  became  too  large  for  the  parlor,  and,  in 
1891,  an  excellent  lot  was  given  to  the  Board  by  Dr. 
Loomis,  on  which,  by  the  contributions  of  Ameri- 
cans and  Chinese,  a  comfortable  chapel  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  one  thousand,  four  hundred  and  twenty 
dollars.  This  is  called  "The  Bible  Mission,"  as  so 
much  prominence  is  given  in  it  to  the  study  of  God's 
Word.  It  is  a  growing  work,  and  to  it  the  church 
of  Alameda  gives  a  warm  and  helping  hand. 
Twenty-six  have  been  baptized.  Thirty-three  have 
joined  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  and  thirty- 
eight  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 

Santa  Rosa  has  an  interesting  history.  In  1878, 
some  Christian  Chinese  began  a  laundry  in  that 
place,  and  in  order  to  work  for  Christ,  built  a  room 
for  a  school  close  by  their  washhouse.  Volunteer 
teachers  taught  the  Chinese  week-day  and  Sunday 
evenings.  The  school  was  prospering,  when  the 
room  was  raided  by  hoodlums  and  destroyed.  This, 
however,  did  not  discourage  the  young  men.  A 
room  was  rented,  and  a  regular  teacher  engaged. 
From  this  little  mission  have  gone  out  some  earnest 
converts,  who,  in  other  parts  of  this  country,  and 
in  China,  have  exerted  much  influence  for  good. 
Thanks  to  the  exertion  of  friends,  they  have  now  a 
pleasant  chapel.  Not  fewer  than  twenty  have  been 
converted,  and  three  children  have  been  baptized. 

There  is  an  encouraging  mission  in  San  Rafael, 


ALAMEDA  CHAPEL 


167 


CHURCHES  AND  CHAPELS  169 


with  twenty-five  scholars  in  the  school.  Thirteen 
have  been  baptized  and  received  into  the  church. 
The  mission  in  Stockton  was  begun  in  1890,  on  the 
occasion  of  a  visit  by  Rev.  Mr.  Kerr.  There  is  an 
evening  school,  a  Sunday  school,  and  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
supported  entirely  by  the  Chinese  and  local  church. 
Eleven  have  become  the  followers  of  the  Savior. 
Eighteen  young  men  in  Napa  have  professed  Christ. 
Lee  Ling,  for  many  years,  indeed  as  long  a:;  he 
lived  in  Napa,  conducted  the  Chinese  service,  and 
labored  to  bring  his  countrymen  under  the  influence 
of  the  Gospel.  Now,  in  his  native  town  in  China, 
he  is  carrying  on  the  same  work  for  the  Master.  He 
has  opened  up  a  little  chapel  in  Kum  U,  and  is  rais- 
ing money  among  the  brethren  to  build  a  larger  one. 

The  Congregationalists  have  stations  at  many 
important  points  on  this  coast,  manned  by  efficient 
native  helpers.  They  have  always  paid  special 
attention  to  this  form  of  work,  and  have  accom- 
plished results  similar  to  those  which  I  have  already 
mentioned.  The  Methodist  and  Baptist  missions 
have,  in  addition  to  their  central  work  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, also  opened  day  schools  and  Sunday  schools 
in  many  towns  in  the  Slate.  Preaching,  in  chapels 
and  by  the  wayside,  has  been  given  the  prominence 
which  belongs  to  it  as  a  divinely  appointed  ordi- 
nance for  saving  souls.  Little  stations  have  been 
established  by  all  the  missions,  and  much  of  the 
good  work  accomplished  has  centered  about  their 
day  schools  and  Sunday  schools. 


XV 


NATIVE  SONS  AND  DAUGHTERS 

HINATOWN  swarms  with  children.  As 
one  goes  along  the  street,  they  are  seen 
at  every  turn  and  in  every  nook  and  cor- 
ner, playing  very  much  after  the  fashion 
of  American  children.  Indeed  it  is  often 
painful  to  see  how  Americanized  they  are  becoming, 
in  some  particulars  at  least. 

Reverence  for  ancestors  is  regarded  as  the  chief 
virtue  in  China.  The  young  grow  up  feeling  that 
their  first  duty  is  to  their  parents.  The  govern- 
ment wisely  encourages  the  practice  of  this  virtue. 
Special  cases  are  reported  to  the  Emperor,  and 
sometimes  he  is  requested  to  make  favorable  men- 
tion of  them,  so  that  others  may  be  encouraged  to 
follow  in  their  footsteps. 

A  story  is  told  of  little  eight-year-old  Woo  Mang, 
or  "Brave  and  Talkative,"  as  the  name  means.  His 
parents,  to  whom  he  was  most  dutiful,  were  very 
poor  and  could  not  afford  mosquito  curtains  for 
their  bed  in  the  summer — a  sine  qua  non  in  the 
domestic  life  of  the  Chinese.  Our  little  Woo  Mang 
used  to  get  into  his  parents'  bed  early  in  the  even- 
ing, and  let  the  mosquitos  do  their  worst  at  biting 

170 


NATIVE  SONS  AND  DAUGHTERS  173 


him  for  an  hour  or  two;  and  when  they  were  sur- 
feited with  his  blood,  he  got  out  of  the  bed,  and 
called  his  parents  to  sleep  in  peace.  Some  little 
sons  in  this  country  might  not  fancy  this  method  of 
showing  reverence  for  their  parents. 

Twenty-six  hundred  Chinese  in  San  Francisco  are 
under  eighteen  years  of  age.  Two  thousand  of 
these  are  of  school  age;  six  hundred  being  under 
six  years  old.  There  are  seventeen  hundred  native 
sons  and  daughters  of  Chinamen.  Many  native 
born  children  have  gone  back  to  China.  If  they 
should  return  and  claim  their  right  to  live  in  this 
country,  it  would  swell  the  number  to  three  thou- 
sand. It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  in  1895  a  Native 
Sons'  Parlor  was  incorporated,  in  which  many  of 
them  take  much  pride.  The  constitution  of  the 
Parlor  is  not  only  patriotic  in  its  spirit,  but  also 
educational  and  moral  in  its  aims  and  requirements. 
"Every  member  must  first  abide  by  the  laws  of  the 
United  States  of  America."  Opium  smoking,  gam- 
bling, carrying  concealed  weapons,  keeping  company 
with  immoral  women,  rough  playing,  and  the  use  of 
intoxicating  drinks  are  prohibited.  Two  hrmdred 
are  enrolled  as  members.  There  are  four  hundred 
Chinese  in  the  city  who  are  old  enough  to  vote.  Of 
these  one  hundred  and  fifty,  by  reason  of  ability  to 
read  and  write,  are  entitled  to  vote,  though  only 
eighty  as  yet  have  exercised  the  right  of  suffrage. 
The  others  do  not  esteem  their  privilege  as  highly 
as  they  should,  and  have  as  yet  failed  to  register.  It 
is  amusing  to  note  how  obsequious  some  politicians 


174    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  wSEE  HIM 


are  to  these  native  sons.  We  wonder  why  this  is 
so !  Sixteen  of  them  went  to  Manila  in  the  United 
States  Navy,  and  one  young  man  went  into  the 
volunteer  army  from  California. 

A  Chinese  public  school  has  been  in  existence  for 

several  years,  the 
nucleus  of  which 
consisted  of  schol- 
ars taken  from  the 
Presbyterian  mis- 
sion school.  It  has 
now  five  American 
teachers,  and  an 
enrollment  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty 
scholars.  The 
English  school 
closes  at  two 
o'clock,  in  order 
that  the  afternoon 
and  evening  may 
be  devoted  to 
instruction  in  their 
own  language, 
given  in  their  own 
schools.  The 
Methodists,  Bap- 
tists, and  Presbyterians  have  each  mission  day  schools 
for  children,  in  which  are  enrolled  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  scholars.  Many  half-grown  boys  are  also 
found  in  the  evening  schools  of  the  variovis  missions, 


HENRY  AND  HIS  FLAG 
I  say  hurrah  for  the  United  States." 


NATIVE  SONS  AND  DAUGHTERS  175 


In  the  first  days  of  mission  work  there  were  not 
many  families,  and  only  a  very  few  children.  How- 
ever, as  the  children  began  to  increase,  a  school  was 
opened  for  them  by  Mrs.  C.  H.  Cole,  as  early  as  in 
May,  1869.  Mrs.  Cole  continued  to  teach  the  little 
children  until  her  death  in  1876.  For  many  years 
an  undenominational  society  of  ladies  supported  her 
school,  until  finally  it  was  given  over  to  the  Presby- 
terian Board,  and  after  the  death  of  Dr.  Loomis, 
was  called  "The  Loomis  Memorial  School."  Mrs. 
Cole  was  a  woman  of  more  than  common  ability 
and  culture;  and  possessed  strong  faith  and  great 
cheerfulness  amid  very  heavy  sorrows.  The  last 
report  which  she  made  showed  an  attendance  of 
forty-one  scholars,  of  whom  twenty  werfe  native 
born. 

When  this  school  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Presbyterian  Board,  Miss  Jessie  E.  Wisner  became 
its  teacher,  and  under  her  care  it  reached  its  highest 
efficiency.  Miss  Wisner  had  been  a  missionary  in 
China,  and  spoke  the  Canton  dialect  with  great 
readiness.  This,  together  with  her  devotion  to 
the  work,  her  love  for  the  children,  her  indefatigable 
visitation  of  them  in  their  heathen  homes,  and  her 
care  for  the  poor  and  sick,  made  her  school  not  only 
large  in  numbers,  but  also  wide-reaching  in  its  spir- 
itual influence.  Some  who  have  since  taken  high 
positions  as  business  men,  and  some  who  have 
become  useful  Christians,  received  their  education 
in  this  school. 

Environment  has  much  to  do  with  the  character 


176    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


of  Chinese  boys  and  girls.  At  one  time  this  school 
was  located  in  a  notorious  old  building,  called  "The 
Globe  Hotel."  The  entire  house,  except  the  one 
bright  spot  occupied  by  the  school,  was  in  posses- 
sion of  gamblers  and  highbinders.     Sentinels  were 

employed  to  stand 
in  the  halls  and 
about  the  doors, 
to  guard  the  in- 
mates against  sur- 
prise by  the  police. 
The  influence  of 
all  this  reacted 
iip(m  the  children 
in  their  homes. 
The  teacher,  when 
visiting  the  chil- 
dren, was  often 
met  by  such  ex- 
clamations as  "O, 
teacher,  me  play 
policeman.  Man 
keep  gamble 
house.  I  come 
with    big  ax, 

.SMALL   FOOT  A.Ml  SHUKS 

chopee  door  down, 
too  muchee  boy  inside  all  run  away, all  the  same  Globe 
Hotel.  I  can  no  catchee  him,  no  can  takeehim  jail. " 
After  moving  into  their  new  rooms,  the  boys,  instead 
of  playing  gambling  house,  imitated  store-keepers, 
car  conductors,  travelers,  and  similar  characters. 


NATIVE  SONS  AND  DAUGHTERS  179 


Several  of  the  children  reported  to  their  teacher 
that  they  would  never  worship  idols  again.  One 
dear  little  fellow  went  home  after  one  of  his  lessons 
and  threw  the  family  idols  on  the  floor,  telling  his 
mother  they  were  all  false,  and  that  he  would  never 
bow  to  them  again.  His  mother  at  once  gave  him 
a  severe  beating,  but  it  made  no  difference,  he  stood 
firm.  He  said,  "I  say  'Now  I  lay  me  down  to 
sleep'  in  Chinese,  before  going  to  bed,  and  in  the 
day  too,  so  that  Jesus  won't  forget  me." 

One  day  a  well-known  minister  and  his  wife,  from 
a  distant  city,  visited  the  school.  They  sat  quite 
unmoved,  only  remarking,  while  the  children  read 
and  sang  and  recited,  for  their  pleasure,  "They  are 
slow  in  their  movement,  they  appear  stupid."  At 
length  a  little  five-year-old,  with  raised  hand,  asked 
in  Chinese,  "Teacher,  is  that  Jesus?"  "No,  my 
child,"  was  the  teacher's  response.  "Well,  is  he 
Jesus'  brother?"  was  the  next  question.  "No,  he 
is  not."  "Well,  teacher,  what  relation  is  he  to 
Jesus,  and  when  is  Jesus  coming?  Please  ask  this 
great  man  to  tell  Jesus  to  come  to  our  school,  for  I 
want  to  see  him."  The  questions  were  translated 
to  the  "great  man,"  and  with  brightened  face  and 
warm  heart,  he  gave  the  scholars  a  talk  that  was 
long  remembered  by  them. 

In  1878,  a  similar  school  was  opened  by  the 
Woman's  Occidental  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
with  Miss  Mary  Baskin  as  head  teacher,  and  Lee 
Kai,  a  young  Chinese  girl,  as  teacher  of  Chinese. 
In  recent  years  this  school  has  developed  quite  a 


i8o    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


missionary  spirit.  Each  year  it  raises  quite  a  little 
sum  of  money,  which,  when  Thanksgiving  time 
comes,  is  invested  in  food  for  the  very  poor. 
Empty  rice  sacks  are  secured,  and  are  filled  with 
eatables,  such  as  rice,  pork,  bread,  crackers  and 
tea.  The  boys  march  in  procession  through  China- 
town, carrying  this  food  to  poor,  forlorn,  hungry 
people.  One  poor  old  mother,  whose  children  had 
forsaken  her,  was  made  glad  by  a  bag  of  this  food, 
accompanied  by  kind  words.  Another  old  woman, 
with  bound  feet,  who  had  been  confined  to  her  room 
for  ten  years,  laughed  and  then  cried  with  joy,  as  they 
left  their  bag  and  sung  for  her  a  hymn  in  Chinese. 
Thus  they  go  from  place  to  place  until  all  the  sacks 
are  given  away;  when  they  return  home  happy  in 
what  they  had  done,  and  saying  to  the  devoted 
teacher.  Miss  Carruthers,  "We  want  to  go  again 
soon,  and  tell  that  old  lady  more  about  Jesus." 

These  two  schools  have  recently  been  consoli- 
dated, and  are  doing  most  excellent  work,  the 
pupils  having  a  consecrated  young  Chinese  teacher 
to  instruct  them  in  their  own  language,  and  give  to 
them  precious  Gospel  truth.  This  young  man  is 
the  son  of  Lee  Ling,  who  was  converted  in  Califor- 
nia. He  rendered  long  and  faithful  service  in  Napa, 
and  is  now  doing  an  equally  useful  work  in  China. 
How  true  are  the  words,  "The  promise  is  unto  you 
and  to  your  children." 


XVI 


"  HAND-PICKED  " 

^^^S^ERY  much  of  Christian  work  is,  after  all, 
%     individual.     The  best  fruit   is  "hand- 
Jly      picked"  as  Spurgeon  so  aptly  says.  In 
^'   t  no  case  has  this  been  more  strikingly 

illustrated  than  in  that  of  Ye  Gon  Lun. 
He  came  into  the  home  of  Hon.  N.  Greene  Curtis, 
of  Sacramento,  a  little  boy  of  only  nine  years  of  age, 
and  fresh  from  his  heathen  home  in  China.  He 
was  meant  to  be  only  a  servant  boy.  By  the  loveli- 
ness of  his  character,  and  his  wonderful  faithfulness 
to  duty,  he  soon  won  his  way  into  the  hearts  of  this 
household.  They  learned  to  feel  towards  him  and 
to  treat  him  more  as  a  son  than  as  a  servant.  In  nat- 
ural uprightness  and  nobleness  of  nature  he  was  far 
above  the  average  of  his  coimtrymen,  and  soon 
became  separated  in  sympathy  from  them,  so  that 
he  scarcely  seemed  to  be  Chinese  at  all. 

Six  years  later,  when  he  was  fifteen  years  old,  I 
was  preaching  one  night  to  the  Chinese  in  Sacra- 
mento, in  their  own  tongue.  He  heard  me,  and  his 
heart  at  once  opened  to  the  Gospel.  I  remember 
well  Mrs.  Curtis'  long,  dark  walk  the  next  night  to 
find  me  and  ask  me  to  go  and  see  him,  as  his  mind 

l8i 


i82    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


had  been  very  much  impressed  by  what  he  had 
heard.  My  heart  was  at  once  drawn  to  him  by  the 
beautiful  simplicity  of  his  child-like  nature,  as  well 
as  by  his  readiness  to  learn  the  way  of  salvation.  A 
native  helper,  Sit  Ah  Moon,  visited  him  almost 
daily,  and  opened  to  him  the  precious  truths  of  the 
Gospel.  Not  long  after,  it  was  my  pleasant  privi- 
lege to  baptize  him  into  the  name  of  Christ  in  our 
church  in  Sacramento. 

He  honored  and  adorned  the  profession  which  he 
had  made.  He  was  simple  and  childlike  in  his 
faith,  and  earnest  in  his  devotion  to  his  Savior. 
But  the  fatal  seeds  of  consumption  which  had  found 
lodgment  in  his  system  had  marked  him  for  an  early 
grave.  Everything  was  done  for  him  that  the  ten- 
derest  sympathy  could  do.  He  had  the  place  of  a 
son  in  the  home  of  Judge  Curtis.  With  parental 
love  he  was  nursed  during  his  lingering  sickness. 
No  expense  was  spared  in  procuring  the  services  of 
the  best  medical  advisors.  The  Chinese  Christians 
were  unwearied  in  their  attention  to  him,  by  day 
and  night;  and  Christians  among  our  own  people 
loved  to  visit  him,  and  were  refreshed  in  heart  by 
looking  into  his  bright,  loving  eyes,  and  by  witness- 
ing his  entire  trust  in  Jesus,  and  his  perfect  readi- 
ness to  die.  His  only  wish  to  live  was  that  he  might 
become  a  minister  and  preach  Jesus  to  his  country- 
men. Judge  Curtis,  to  whom  his  heart  was  so  knit 
that  he  would  have  laid  down  his  life  for  him, 
told  him  that  if  he  recovered  he  should  have  a 
higher  and  more  lucrative  position.    But  he  said, 


"HAND-PICKED" 


183 


"No,  if  I  get  well,  I  want  to  spend  my  life  in  serv- 
ing the  Lord. "  But  earth  was  not  long  to  be  his 
home.  God  claimed  him  for  heaven,  where  He  had 
other  work  for  him  to  do.  At  the  early  age  of 
eighteen,  he  gen- 
tly, sweetly  fell 
asleep  in  Jesus. 
On  a  beautiful 
Friday  afternoon, 
his  funeral  took 
place  from  the 
home  in  which  he 
had  found  shelter. 
His  body  was  laid 
to  rest  in  a  mag- 
nificent metal  cas- 
ket, and  placed  in 
the  vault,  tmtil  a 
proper  grave  and 
monument  could 
be  prepared.  A 
large  number  of 
our  own  people 
attended  his  fu- 
neral,   as  many 

knew  him,  and  all  who  knew  him  loved  him.  A 
number  of  Chinese  Christians  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
of  which  he  was  a  member,  sung  around  his  coffin 
at  the  grave,  in  Chinese,  "There  is  a  Happy  Land." 

Not  long  after  Judge  Curtis  erected  a  beautiful 
monument  to  the  memory  of  Ye  Gon  Lun,  at  a  cost 


Ak.  ^  JTfl  ^ 


HAPPY  LAND 


i84    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


of  not  less  than  a  thousand  dollars.  As  3'ou  ap- 
proach the  monument,  you  will  see  the  words 
"Eternal  Rest"  chiseled  at  the  base.  The  stone  is 
of  white  marble,  eight  feet  high,  crowned  with  a 
floral  cross,  and  beneath,  a  scroll  bearing  the  motto, 
"FIDELITAS."    The  inscription  reads: 

YE  GON  LUN 

DIED 
JUNE  23,  1874, 

AGED   iS  YKARS. 

"Look  unto  Me,  and  be  ye  saved, 
all  the  ends  of  the  earth,  for  I  am 
God,  and  there  is  none  else." 

He  lived  and  died  a 
Christian. 

Judge  Curtis  said  to  me  at  one  time,  "I  have 
been  looking  for  a  model  Christian  life,  and  I  have 
found  it  in  this  Chinese  boy  from  across  the  seas." 
Who  will  say  that  the  Chinese  cannot,  just  as  well 
as  our  own  race,  give  bright  evidence  of  the  grace 
of  God  in  their  hearts?  When  filled  with  the  Spirit, 
as  this  yo.mg  man  was,  the  Lord  can  use  them  in 
marked  ways  to  advance  His  kingdom.  Ye  Gon 
Lun  could  not  live  to  preach  Christ;  nevertheless, 
God  accepted  the  desire  of  his  heart,  and  used  him 
to  make  known  the  Gospel  in  China.  How?  When 
laid  aside  from  work,  there  came  into  the  family  as 
his  substitute,  an  awkward  boy  called  "Ing, "  but 


"HAND-PICKED" 


whose  real  name  was  Lee  Yin.  Ye  Gon  Lun  not 
only  patiently  taught  him  the  household  duties,  but 
faithfully  instructed  him  ir  the  truths  of  the  Bible, 
and  lived  Christ  before  hii..  in  his  daily  life,  so  that 
in  a  short  time  Ing  also  became  a  Christian. 

Lee  Yin's  heart  soon  found  great  joy  in  reading 
the  Bible,  and  in  seeking  to  understand  it.  The 
next  step  was  a  desir  to  make  the  Gospel  message 
known  to  his  people.  Then  followed  the  purpose  to 
return  home  and  preach  the  Word.  After  a  season 
of  study  in  Canton,  he  entered  actively  into  the 
Master's  service.  But  he  had  trouble.  His  wife 
and  mother  hated  the  Gospel.  When  he  began  to 
study  their  anger  was  aroused,  and  his  wife  fre- 
quently threatened  to  commit  suicide.  One  night 
while  he  was  asleep,  she  took  a  rope  and  tried  to 
strangle  him,  but  he  woke  up  in  time  to  save  him- 
self. His  faith  never  gave  way.  Nothing  daunted 
he  went  on  following  in  his  labors  in  the  steps  of 
Mo  Heng,  the  Los  Angeles  convert,  in  many  towns 
of  the  Sun  Neng  district.  Lee  Yin  labored  for  a 
while  in  Chung  Lau,  and  through  his  labors  there 
Mun  Heng  was  converted,  who  is  now  a  consecrated 
preacher  in  the  Master's  service.  Lee  Yin's  wife 
was  afterwards  converted,  and  their  son  became  a 
student  in  our  San  Francisco  school. 

Ye  Gon  Lun's  life  was  not  lost.  His  desire  to 
preach  Christ  was  not  in  vain.  He  is  doing  it 
to-day  in  those  in  whom  his  influence  lives.  In 
heaven  new  stars  are  being  added  to  his  crown  of 
rejoicing.    Frances  de  Sales  truly  says,  "We  must 


i86    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


never  imdervalue  any  person.  The  workman  loves 
not  that  his  work  should  be  despised  in  his  pres- 
ence. Now  God  is  present  everywhere,  and  every 
person  is  His  work." 

"Forgive  my  grief  for  one  removed, 
Thy  creature,  whom  I  found  so  fair, 
I  trust  he  Hves  in  thee,  and  there 
I  find  him  worthier  to  be  loved." 


XVII 


EXPANSION 

OTWITHSTANDING  the  bitter  opposi- 
tion to  the  Chinese  by  the  irreligious, 
and  the  indifference,  if  not  opposition, 
manifested  towards  them  on  the  part  of 
many  Christian  people,  the  work  for  their 
betterment  has  been  constantly  enlarging.  This  is 
true  of  each  of  the  several  missions. 

The  old  mission  chapel,  at  800  Stockton  Street, 
had  long  proved  too  small  to  hold  the  large  num- 
bers which  came  to  the  services;  and  the  school 
rooms  were  also  exceedingly  contracted.  At  length 
a  long-needed  new  building  was  secured  by  the 
purchase  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  on  Stock- 
ton Street.  The  Chinese  population  had  been  grad- 
ually surrounding  this  church,  until  it  was  no  longer 
suitably  placed  for  an  American  congregation,  but 
it  was  well  located  for  Chinese  work.  The  Rev. 
Robert  Patterson,  D.D.,  pastor  of  the  church,  went 
to  New  York  and  obtained  from  the  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions  their  promise  to  purchase  the 
building  as  soon  as  the  funds  could  be  secured.  In 
April,  1882,  the  purchase  was  completed,  though 

187 


iS6    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


the  building  was  not  occupied  until  November  of 
that  year. 

In  the  meantime  the  Rev.  Alexander  J.  Kerr  and 
wife  were  appointed  as  associates  in  the  work.  Mr. 
Kerr  arrived  on  the  field  in  September,  1882,  and  at 

once  entered  up- 
on the  study  of 
the  language;  en- 
gaging at  the  same 
time  in  regular 
church  and  school 
labors. 

After  the  First 
Church  passed  in- 
to the  hands  of 
the  mission,  it 
was  thoroughly 
renovated,  and 
adapted  to  the 
new  kind  of  work 
to  be  carried  on 
within  its  walls. 
On  the  day  of  its 
re-dedication,  not 
fewer  than  a  thou- 
sand people  were 
crowded  into  the  spacious  audience  room,  nearly  all 
of  whom  were  Chinese.  Many  had  to  go  away, 
being  irnable  to  get  inside  the  building. 

Dr.  Loomis,  in  his  address,  reviewed  the  past. 
Thirt5'-eight  and  a  half  years  before,  he  said,  he 


KIR.Sr   CIll.NESK  CHL'RCH 


EXPANvSION 


189 


had  been  one  of  a  company  of  missionaries  to  sail 
from  New  York  to  China.  At  that  time,  in  China 
proper,  there  were  only  two  natives  who  were  avow- 
edly converts  to  Christianity.  Now,  he  said,  there 
are  mission  stations  dotting  the  land  all  along  the 
coast,  and  they  are  to  be  fonnd  far  inland,  with 
native  churches  having  their  own  native  pastors, 
and  with  twenty  thousand 
converts. 

At  the  close  of  the  cen- 
tury we  are  able  to  say, 
that  missionaries  are  now 
in  every  province  of  the 
empire,  that  there  are  one 
hundred  thousand  con- 
verts, and  that  thousands 
of  native  pastors  and  help- 
ers are  at  work  in  the 
churches. 

When  Dr.  Loomis  came 
to    San    Francisco  only 
two   Christian  Chinamen         rev.  .\le.k.  j.  kkkk 
could  be  found,  but  in  1882 

he  fourd  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  on  the  roll  of 
this  one  church ;  and  about  a  thousand  in  all  had 
been  baptized  and  received  into  the  various  churches 
of  this  country.  To  this  contrast  we  may  add,  that 
there  are  now  three  hundred  and  sixty  on  the  roll 
of  this  same  church,  with  not  fewer  than  nine  hun- 
dred on  the  roll  of  all  the  missions  of  the  city,  and 
with  probably  four  thousand  in  all  denominations 


I90    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 

in  this  country  who  have  been  brought  to  Christ. 
If  the  Doctor,  in  looking  back  over  twenty-three 
years,  could  exclaim,  "Behold  what  God  hath 
wi-ought, "  we  can,  with  equal  wonder,  take  up  the 
refrain,  "This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvel- 
ous in  our  eyes. " 

Mr.  Kerr,  in 
speaking  of  the 
first  days  of  the 
new  church,  said 
that  the  attend- 
ance  at  the  morn- 
ing and  evening 
service  was  great- 
ly increased;  the 
Sunday  schools 
held  immediately 
after  and  before 
these  services 
were  also  aug- 
mented;  the 
prayer  meeting 
had  an  average 
attendance  of  for- 
soN  OF  AN  ELDER  ^7 ;  ^ud  the  even- 

ing school  had 
increased  to  one  hundred  and  twenty.  The  Gos- 
pel was  preached  every  week  to  five  hundred 
different  persons. 

The  fruit  of  this  seed-sowing  was  not  all  gathered 
in  this  city,  or  on  this  coast.    Our  church  members 


EXPANSION 


191 


and  our  scholars  are  scattered  over  all  the  States 
and  Territories  of  our  broad  domain.  Many  Chi- 
nese Sunday  and  evening  schools  have  sprung  up 
in  different  towns  and  cities  from  San  Francisco  to 
Boston,  from  Minnesota  to  Louisiana  and  Arizona, 
through  the  labors  of  Chinamen  who  have  learned 
the  way  of  life  in  San  Francisco  mission.  Not 
only  is  this  true,  but  church  members  and  scholars 
are  constantly  returning  to  their  native  land,  carry- 
ing back  with  them  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ.  Many  go  with  minds  enlightened  and 
hearts  aglow,  prepared  to  teach  their  countrymen 
the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  and  of  salvation 
by  Christ.  By  this  means  several  churches  have 
been  formed  far  inland  in  China. 

Two  years  after  entering  the  renovated  church, 
an  interesting  service  was  held,  when  the  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary  of  Dr.  Loomis'  labors  in  the  mis- 
sion was  celebrated.  The  address  of  the  evening 
was  given  by  Dea  Chin.  He  was  only  a  cigar 
dealer,  with  no  education  but  what  he  had  received 
in  the  mission;  3'et,  by  his  excellent  English  and 
his  impressive  manner,  he  was  a  good  example  of 
that  fine  brain  quality  which  the  Chinese  possess 
to  so  remarkable  a  degree,  and  which  has  come 
down  to  them  through  "forty  centuries"  of  unmixed 
heredity.  I  give  his  address  without  embellish- 
ment, alteration,  or  comment. 

"Ladies  and  gentlemen:  I  speak  on  behalf  of 
our  Chinese  church  and  congregation.  They  have 
authorized  and  requested  me  to  express  the  warm 


192    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


and  hearty  feelings  which  we  all  have  towards  our 
dear  pastor  and  friend,  Dr.  Loomis.  The  occasion 
is  so  great,  and  my  heart  is  so  full,  that  I  hardly 
know  what  I  should  say. 

"It  is  very  fitting  that  we  should  celebrate  this 
anniversary.  I  am  told  by  friends  that  there  has 
not  probably  been  another  such  long  pastorate  in  all 
California,  as  this  one.  It  is  to-day  fully  twenty- 
five  years  since  Dr.  Loomis  came  to  labor  among 
our  people,  in  this  city,  and  on  this  very  street. 

"Let  us  look  at  this  a  moment.  A  boy  baby  who 
was  born  the  day  Dr.  Loomis  began  his  work,  would 
to-day  be  quite  old  enough  to  be  married;  indeed 
some  who  were  born  about  that  time  have  already 
children  of  their  own.  A  second  generation,  then, 
is  growing  up  about  him  since  he  began  his  labor  in 
this  city.  But  you  must  remember  that  he  spent 
several  years  in  China  before  he  came  here,  and 
thus  his  work  for  the  Chinese  people  is  lengthened 
out  beyond  the  years  that  most  ministers  work. 

"But  not  in  years  alone  has  his  work  been  great. 
When  he  came  here  there  were  not  so  many  China- 
men as  there  are  now,  and  few  could  speak  English. 
There  were  but  two  Christians  among  them,  and  so 
work  had  to  commence  at  the  very  beginning.  Day 
after  day  and  night  after  night  meetings  were  held, 
tracts  distributed,  the  truth  taught,  and  for  two 
years  this  was  done  before  there  were  any  signs  of 
life.  At  last,  after  the  end  of  two  years'  work,  one 
was  baptized,  and  then  another,  and  work  has  gone 
on  constantly  since.    So,  in  reckoning  the  years, 


EXPANSION 


193 


the  small  beginnings  must  be  considered  as  adding 
an  additional  honor.  Discouragements  too,  must  be 
spoken  of,  for  these  are  an  important  thing  to  be 
considered,  when  we  would  count  the  years  of  a 
minister's  labor. 

"And  yet  his 
work  has  been  a 
great  success,  ev- 
en as  we  business 
men  speak  of  suc- 
cess. Much  more, 
I  think,  is  it  a  suc- 
cess in  God's  eyes. 
Nearly  two  hun- 
dred have  been 
received  into  this 
church  in  these 
twenty-five  years, 
but  this  number  is 
haidly  a  measure 
of  the  multitude 
who  have  learned 
the  way  of  life.  We 
know  that  there  are 
hundreds  scattered 
all  through  this  country  who  know  of  Christ  because 
Dr.  Loomis  preachec  Him  to  them,  and  there  are 
hundreds  who  have  thrown  away  the  idols,  and  who 
are  thus  ready  to  be  instructed  in  the  truth. 

"But  it  is  not  for  the  church  alone  that  I  am  to 
speak.    I  have  been  here  a  good  many  years  and 


C.    K.  liANNER 


194    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


am  well  acquainted  in  Chinatown,  so  I  speak  also 
for  the  Chinese  generally.  We  are  human.  If  you 
prick  us,  do  we  not  bleed?  If  you  tickle  us,  do  we 
not  laugh?  If  you  show  kindness  to  us,  do  not  our 
hearts  know  it?  And  so  I  say  that  the  Chinese 
people  of  this  city  know  that  no  man  has  been  a 
better  friend  to  them  than  Dr.  Loomis.  From  the 
very  first  he  has  been  the  one  to  whom  we  could  go 
for  advice  and  help.  His  door  was  never  closed 
against  us,  his  ear  was  never  heavy  so  he  could  not 
hear  what  we  had  to  say,  and  his  feet  were  never  so 
tired  that  they  would  not  run  to  help  us. 

"We  know  some  of  the  afflictions  he  has  passed 
through,  and  we  have  mourned  with  him ;  we  know 
also  of  the  joys  he  has  had,  and  we  have  rejoiced 
with  him ;  and  through  all  the  years,  and  in  the 
midst  of  all  the  discouragements,  he  seems  to  have 
had  just  one  purpose.  As  the  lighthouse  casts  its 
light  over  the  great  waters,  that  it  may  show  the 
way  for  the  vessels  to  get  into  the  harbor,  so  has  he 
had  the  one  idea  of  showing  souls  the  way  to  Christ. 
But  he  has  been  more  than  a  lighthouse.  He  has 
been  the  pilot  also,  who  does  the  hard  work  of 
bringing  the  ship  with  all  her  passengers  into  port. 

"He  had  a  helper,  however.  We  delight  to  honor 
Mrs.  Loomis  also,  because  she  has  been  very  earnest 
in  doing  her  part  in  showing  kindness,  and  in  teach- 
ing our  countrymen  the  salvation  of  Christ.  She 
has  worked  without  complaint  or  weariness,  and 
with  him  her  crown  will  be  bright. 

"We  hope  that  to  the  very  end  the  Holy  Spirit 


EXPANSION 


195 


will  be  in  their  hearts,  making  all  things  very  bright 
for  them.  But  we  hope  and  pray,  Doctor,  that  you 
may  be  spared  to  work  for  us  and  with  us  twenty  or 
twenty-five  years  more,  and  with  your  eloquence 
and  earnest  life  persuade  many  more  to  come  to 
Christ  and  be 
saved. ' ' 

This  address 
was  followed  by 
another  excellent 
one,  by  one  of  the 
elders,  who  pre- 
sented the  doctor 
with  a  handsome 
watch,  bearing  an 
appropriate  in- 
scription. 

At  the  request 
of  the  Synod  of 
the  Columbia,  the 
Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  began 
missionary  work 
among  the  twelve 
thousand  Chinese  "throw  out  the  life  line" 
in  Oregon  and 

Washington.  This  was  done  in  1885,  and  Rev.  W. 
S.  Holt,  D.  D.,  and  wife,  were  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  it.  They  had  been  twelve  years  in  China, 
and  were  able  to  prosecute  the  work  with  vigor  and 
success.    This  mission  has  been  mainly  supported 


196    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


by  the  Chinese,  and  with  Dr.  Holt  for  a  leader,  has 
accomplished  great  good.  A  dispensary  was  opened, 
where  the  sick  poor  received  medical  treatment 
free.  Several  physicians  gave  their  services  gratui- 
tously. A  Chinese  Woman's  Home  was  opened  in 
1889,  under  the  care  of  the  Woman's  North  Pacific 
Board  of  Missions.  The  first  inmate,  a  young  girl 
taken  from  a  brothel  by  Mrs.  Holt,  has  grown  to  be 
a  fine  young  woman.  A  prominent  business  man 
said  of  this  girl,  "If  nothing  had  been  done  here, 
except  to  save  this  one  girl,  it  is  worth  all  the  mis- 
sion has  cost."  Bible  classes,  house  to  house  visita- 
tion, and  woman's  prayer  meetings,  have  been 
interesting  features  of  this  mission. 


XVIII 


SIDE  LIGHTS 

AM  often  asked  with  a  good  deal  of  quiz- 
zical doubt,  "What  kind  of  Christians  do 
the  Chinese  make?  Do  they  give  evi- 
dence of  being  really  true  followers  of 
Jesus?"  Such  doubters  do  not  go  as  far 
as  a  noted  Roman  Catholic  priest,  who  said  of  them, 
"These  pagan,  these  vicious,  these  immoral  crea- 
tures, are  incapable  of  rising  to  the  virtue  that  is 
inculcated  by  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
world's  Redeemer;"  albeit  the  Catholics  claim  mil- 
lions of  converts  in  China.  Still,  many  seem  to 
think  that  it  is  hard  to  find  any  among  them  who 
are  more  than  "Rice  Christians."  Not  so.  On  the 
contrary  they  give  strong  evidence  of  being  genuine 
followers  of  Christ.  If  put  alongside  an  equal 
number  of  American  Christians,  I  am  sure  that  the 
Chinese  will  not  suffer  by  the  comparison.  In  the 
great  outbreak  of  the  Chinese  against  native  Chris- 
tians in  China,  they  have  shown  as  a  rule  the  true 
martyr  spirit.  One  old  Christian  of  seventy  was 
told  by  the  Boxers  that  they  would  spare  him  and 
his  home  if  he  would  renounce  his  faith  in  Jesus. 
He  said,  "You  may  burn  my  house  if  you  wish,  I 

J97 


198    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


have  a  better  mansion  in  my  heavenly  home  up 
yonder."  After  the  same  spirit  we  find  the  Chinese 
among  us  standing  true  to  the  Gospel  which  they 
have  embraced.  I  give  a  few  incidents  which  will 
throw  some  light  on  the  genuineness  of  their  Chris- 
tian character. 

The  Chinese  tin-, 
der stand  how  the 
Sabbath  ouglit  to 
be  kept.  One  of 
them  was  living 
with  a  family  near 
Berkeley.  On  a 
certain  Sabbath 
morning,  one 
member  of  the 
family  proposed  a 
game  of  croquet. 
The  Chinaman 
went  to  the  head 
of  the  house,  say- 
ing, "To-day  Sun- 
day; no  good  play 
croquet."  The 
man  laughed,  and 
said  it  was  only  a 
little  innocent  recreation,  and  the  young  people  must 
have  something  to  amuse  them.  But  this  was  not  a 
sufficient  excuse  for  Jim;  who  then  posted  off  and 
wrote  in  large  letters  on  a  paper  box  cover,  "Re- 
member the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy";  and 


SIDE  LIGHTS 


199 


nailed  it  up  in  full  sight  of  the  grounds.  One  of 
the  party  saw  it,  and  said,  "The  Chinaman  has 
done  it.  I  will  not  play.'"  The  rest  felt  the  same, 
and  no  game  was  played  that  day. 

T/iey  are  not  asliamed  to  shozv  ihcir  colors  when 
occasion  dctiiands  it.  In  the  court  room  at  Oakland, 
one  of  our  Christian  men  named  Lu  How  was  on 
the  witness  stand.  The  lawyer  asked  in  sport,  "Do 
your  worship  Joss,  John?"  He  said,  "No,  I  wor- 
ship the  one  true  God,  and  try  to  serve  Him."  The 
lawyer  then  sneeringh^  asked,  "Where  do  you 
expect  to  go,  John,  when  you  die?"  His  reply  was, 
"I  love  Jesus,  and  try  to  live  so  as  to  go  to  heaven." 
The  lawyer  was  silenced,  and  a  feeling  of  religious 
awe,  and  of  respect  for  the  man  took  possession  of 
every  soul  in  the  court  room. 

Tliey  die  in  faith.  A  Christian  brother  in  Oak- 
land, named  Huie  Noy,  was  dying.  He  was  unable 
to  speak,  and  recognized  no  one  about  him.  I  said 
to  him,  Yesii  oi  nay — "Jesus  loves  you."  At  the 
name  of  Yesii.,  a  bright  smile  lighted  up  his  counte- 
nance, and  he  passed  into  the  spirit  land,  to  look 
upon  the  face  of  the  Jesus  whom  he  loved. 

They  are  anxious  to  use  all  nieatis  possible  to  reach 
their  unconverted  friends.  Ng  Shuey,  before  return- 
ing home,  purchased  a  gramophone  to  take  with 
him.  As  he  was  afraid  he  would  not  have  much 
power  to  tell  of  Jesus  to  his  friends,  he  had  several 
sermons  in  Chinese  preached  into  it ;  and  at  a 
prayer  meeting,  hymns  and  solos  sung  into  it.  He 
also  had  messages  from  missionaries  and  Christian 


200    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


brethren  spoken  into  it.  In  this  way  it  declared  for 
him  and  for  others  the  truths  of  salvation  to  those 
in  his  native  village  who  had  never  heard  of  a 
Savior.  The  chapel  in  Sun  Neng,  built  by  the 
brethren  of  California,  will  be  filled  with  curious 
worshipers,  who  will  be  amazed  to  hear  "Jesus 
saves,"  "Wonderful  Words  of  Life,"  and  other 
messages  of  salvation  sounding  in  their  astonished 
ears,  from  this  "eighth  wonder  of  the  world." 
Ng  Shuey  will  have  souls  given  to  him  through  his 
effort  to  preach  Jesus  by  the  gramophone. 

They  labor  for  the  salvation  of  their  oivn  families. 
Lee  Guey  went  home  in  1897  to  visit  his  wife  and 
family.  Through  his  faithful  life  and  teaching,  his 
wife  and  two  of  his  children  became  Christians.  His 
wife,  in  the  joy  of  her  new-found  Savior,  began  to 
make  Jesus  known  among  the  families  of  her 
acquaintance.  She  went,  in  her  zeal,  from  place  to 
place  in  a  quiet  way,  and  especially  visited  among 
the  poor.  Many  became  deeply  interested  in  the 
new  doctrine,  and  some  promised  to  put  away  their 
idols  and  worship  the  one  true  God.  After  Lee 
Guey  came  back,  at  the  first  Thursday  evening 
prayer  meeting,  in  the  presence  of  some  forty 
friends,  he  thrilled  their  hearts  by  telling  them  the 
story  of  his  wife's  and  children's  conversion,  and  of 
her  zeal  in  witnessing  for  Christ. 

They  set  an  example  to  those  of  us  zvho  give  our 
money  to  the  church  through  socials  and  entertain- 
ments. Our  boys  in  Stockton  were  planning  to  give 
one  of  the  periodical  socials  in  the  mission  school. 


SIDE  LIGHTS 


201 


Each  scholar  had  given  not  less  than  one  dollar  and 
a  half,  and  one  had  given  fifteen  dollars  for  the 
occasion.  When  they  learned  from  their  teacher 
that  they  must  help  to  support  the  school  more 
generously,  they  at  once  decided  to  forego  the 
social,  and  brought 
the  money— thirty- 
three  dollars — for 
mission  work. 

Even  the  chil- 
dren appreciate  the 
value  of  a  consist- 
e  7it  I  ifc.  One 
bright  little  girl, 
an  inmate  of  the 
Home,  was  recent- 
ly baptized  and 
received  into  the 
church.  One  rainy 
Sabbath  morning 
she  came  down 
dressed  for  church. 
The  matron  ob- 
jected to  her  go- 
ing, as  she  was 
really  sick  with 
cold.  The  dear 
little  Christian  girl 
know."    Later  she 


it's  my  example,  Ydif  know" 


said,  "It's  my  example^  you 
was  found  still  dressed  in  her 
good  clothes,  and  gave  for  her  reason,  "I  thought  if 
the  girls  saw  me  dressed  for  church,  they  would  go, 
because  they  thought  I  was  going." 


302    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


They  overcotue  bad  tcinpci-s,  and  are  purified  by 
trials.  Ah  Ho  was  born  in  vSun  Neng,  China,  in  a 
part  of  the  country  infested  by  robbers.  When  she 
was  an  infant  but  a  few  days  old  her  mother  was 
forced  to  flee  with  her,  to  save  their  lives.  On  the 
edge  of  a  fish  pond  she  found  an  old  jar  in  which  she 
hid  Ah  Ho,  hoping  some  one  would  find  her  and 
save  her.  Soon  after  the  mother  met  her  husband, 
who  was  just  returning  home,  and  going  back  they 
found  the  babe  still  safe.  The  father  put  her  in  a 
bag  and  tied  her  to  his  belt.  In  fighting  that  day 
with  the  robbers,  the  child  was  covered  with  blood, 
and  her  foot  badly  crushed.  A  Christian  Chinaman 
advised  them  to  put  the  babe  for  care  and  safety  in 
the  mission  at  Canton.  They  did  so,  and  she  was 
placed  with  Mrs.  Happer,  of  sainted  memory,  with 
whom  she  remained  for  two  years,  when  the  parents 
again  took  her  to  their  home.  In  another  fight  with 
robbers.  Ah  Ho,  with  .some  other  little  girls,  was 
taken  captive  and  carried  off  to  Canton,  where  she 
was  exposed  for  sale  on  the  street.  Mrs.  Happer 
saw  and  recognized  her,  and  buying  her,  took  her  to 
her  home,  where  she  spent  a  happy  life  until  eight 
years  old.  During  this  time  she  learned  much  Gos- 
pel truth.  But  from  this  asylum  she  was  lured 
away  by  a  wicked  woman,  and  kept  until  she  was 
fourteen  years  of  age,  when  she  was  bought  by 
highbinders,  and  brought  to  San  Francisco.  Here 
she  endured  untold  sufi^erings  in  her  attempts  to 
escape  from  a  bad  life.  At  length  she  was  found 
by  Mrs.  Condit  and  put  in  the  family  of  our  Chinese 


SIDE  LIGHTS 


203 


preacher.  When  urged  to  be  baptized,  she  was 
afraid  that  she  could  not  be  a  Christian,  because,  as 
she  said,  "I  have  so  awful  bad  temper."  After- 
wards, through  the  influence  of  the  good  Spirit,  she 
consented.  But  her  troubles  were  not  yet  over. 
By  deception  she 
was  induced  to  go 
to  Portland,  and 
there  found  her- 
self in  one  of  the 
worst  dens  of  in- 
f  a  m  y.  But  she 
said,  "I  keep 
watch.  One  day 
I  look  out  and  see 
white  man  close 
by.  I  run  right 
out,  and  cry,  'Oh, 
help  me  find  ho- 
tel. '  He  show  me 
one.  I  run  in,  and 
ask,  'Find  me  min- 
ister.'  The}-  find 
me  Dr.  Lindsley. 
Then  my  big 
troubles  all 
over. " 

Into  what  a  beautiful  and  useful  Christian  she  did 
grow!  How  her  trials  purified  her  soul!  Looking 
in  after  years,  as  I  did,  into  that  sweet,  calm  face, 
bright  from  the  light  within,  it  did  not  seem  possible 


I  VK  SO  AWFI  I,   UAI>  TEMl'ER 


204    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


that  she  ever  had  a  bad  temper.  On  account  of 
weak  eyes,  she  could  not  read  the  Bible.  Express- 
ing her  sorrow  for  this,  she  said,  "I  jus'  trus'  God 
all  the  time  anyway.  I  am  so  happy  to  talk  to 
Him.  He  teach  me.  So  I  learn  that  way."  She 
said  to  a  lady  visiting  her  in  her  home,  "I  feel  like 
staying  home  all  day  with  my  Lord."  And  yet  she 
loved  to  serve  her  Master.  A  little  adopted  child 
was  taken  from  her  by  death,  and  she  said,  "I  sorry 
he  have  to  go.  But  God  know  best.  When  I  keep 
child,  all  time  I  think  of  him.  I  not  do  God's  work. 
Now  God  take  him,  so  I  work  all  for  God." 

Ah  Ho  knew  no  fear,  and  often  risked  her  life  in 
saving  Chinese  women  and  girls  from  slavery. 
Rev.  Dr.  W.  S.  Holt,  in  speaking  of  her  at  her 
death,  said,  "I  have  never  seen  a  woman  of  any 
race,  who  was  so  entirely  devoted  to  the  service  of 
Jesus  Christ.  There  was  no  woman  too  low  for  her 
to  visit;  no  man  too  proud  for  her  to  approach; 
there  was  no  distress  she  was  not  ready  to  relieve; 
and  no  sin  or  outrage  she  feared  to  rebuke.  Her 
own  debased  countrywomen  never  had  a  better 
friend. " 

The  Gospel  in  the  slums.  Through  the  influence 
of  Mrs.  Vrooman,  a  woman  from  Fish  alley,  one  of 
the  most  malodorous  spots  in  Chinatown,  was  led  to 
attend  church  and  hear  the  Gospel.  She  was  one  of 
three  wives  of  an  old  husband,  who  had  lived  far 
beyond  his  three  score  years  and  ten,  without  a 
knowledge  of  Christ.  Ah  Yung  was  naturally  a 
sweet-tempered  woman,  so  that  when  the  Gospel 


SIDE  LIGHTS 


207 


was  brought  to  her,  she  opened  her  heart  in  loving 
faith  to  receive  it.  It  was  a  weird  scene  when  the 
missionary,  his  wife,  and  Mrs.  Vrooman,  knelt  in 
the  wretched  little  room  where  she  had  been  bap- 
tized. Her  poor,  sad  face  was  illuminated  by  the 
light  from  within,  so  that  her  heathen  husband  said 
to  Mrs,  Vrooman  afterwards,  "There  seemed  to  be 
a  light  behind  her  face  that  shined  through ;  /  tjiink 
it  ivas  her  new  rcligioyi.  "  Her  last  whispered  words 
to  Mis.  Vrooman  were,  "Oh,  do  not  cease  to  come 
when  I  am  gone.  Keep  coming  and  trying  to  save 
the  rest.  Don't  forget  these  children  (the  children 
of  the  third  wife).  Tell  them  of  Christ.  Don't 
give  them  up."  Her  funeral  was  held  from  th  j 
church.  The  heathen  husband,  the  ot/ier  ivife  and 
her  children,  and  a  number  of  Christian  friends, 
were  present.  Her  forgiven  and  saved  soul  went 
to  her  Savior,  from  the  squalor  and  wietchedness  of 
Fish  alley. 


XIX 


A  CHAPTER  OF  EVENTS 

OR  thirty-two  years  Dr.  Loomis  was  con- 
nected with  the  Chinese  mission  on  the 
Pacific  Coast.  It  may  be  truthfully  said 
of  him,  that  he  was  "instant  in  season, 
and  out  of  season."  His  life  was  spent 
in  "labors  abundant";  and  he  was  "faithful  even 
unto  death."  He  was  called  to  his  rest  July  26, 
1 89 1.  The  funeral  was  held  at  the  church,  where  a 
large  assembly  of  Chinese  testified  to  their  appreci- 
ation of  his  efforts  in  their  behalf.  His  body  was 
borne  to  the  grave  by  six  converted  Chinese,  and  as 
they  walked  beside  the  casket,  dressed  in  long  robes 
of  blue,  their  national  mourning  color,  the  scene 
was  one  long  to  be  remembered. 

Rev.  Mr.  Kerr  severed  his  connection  with  the 
mission  in  1892,  at  which  time  the  writer  came  into 
charge  of  the  entire  work,  which  included  ten  out- 
stations,  with  headquarters  at  San  Francisco.  Many 
peculiar  conditions  existed  then  among  the  Chinese, 
making  the  responsibilities  assumed  peculiarly 
heavy.  In  this  connection,  grateful  mention  is 
made  of  the  sympathy  and  cooperation  of  all  the 
teachers  in  the  evening  schools,  the  repeated  en- 

208 


A  CHAPTER  OF  EVENTS 


dorsement  of  the  Synod  of  California,  and  also  the 
kindly  interest  shown  by  the  Woman's  Occidental 
Board.  While  these  things  may  seem  personal, 
they  belong  to  a  period  like  that  spoken  of  by  David, 
when  "the  precious  ointment  upon  the  head"  and 
"the  dew  that  descended  upon  the  mountains  of 
Zion,"  resulted  in  the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  "even 
life  for  evermore. ' ' 

Bible  classes  were  opened  for  both  Christian  and 
non-Christian  young  men.  The  one  under  Mrs. 
Condit's  care  has  had  regular  members  for  eight 
years,  and  has  been  the  means  of  giving  instruction 
not  only  to  Christian  deciples  here,  but  to  many  from 
the  East,  going  to  and  returning  from  China.  The 
International  Lessons  have  given  a  suggestive  out- 
line of  study,  but  practical  topics  have  formed  the 
main  part  of  each  lesson.  Classes  of  young  men, 
not  Christians,  taught  by  Miss  Wisner  and  other 
teachers,  have  nearly  all  become  active  followers  of 
Christ. 

A  Circle  of  King's  Daughters  was  organized  by 
my  wife  in  1893,  composed  of  the  Christian  women 
of  the  church.  The  aim  of  this  organization  was  to 
develop  these  women  along  lines  of  Christian  serv- 
ice. Much  quiet,  unostentatious  work  is  being  done 
by  them  among  their  heathen  sisters.  They  and 
their  children  are  entertained  by  the  King's  Daugh- 
ters at  a  bi-monthly  meeting  held  in  the  church.  Of 
one  of  these  King's  Daughters,  living  at  present  in 
Los  Angeles,  a  friend  writes:  "She  is  a  host  for 
good  among  these  heathen  women.    No  American 


2IO    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


pastor's  wife  could  care  more  efficiently  nor  more 
lovingly  for  her  flock,  than  does  Mrs.  Chew  for  her 
benighted  sisters.  She  is  really  a  rare  woman, 
very  handsome  and  very  intelligent."  Wherever 
these  women  go,  they  endeavor  to  live  consistently, 

and  they  try  to 
keep  in  touch  with 
the  work  of  the 
Circle. 

The  Christian 
Endeavor  idea  was 
introduced  into 
the  work  in  1892  ; 
since  which  time, 
many  societies 
have  been  formed 
by  the  various 
missions.  Of  these 
we  have  organized 
six.  No  more  spir- 
itual meetings  are 
held  in  any  church, 
and  the  consecra- 
tion meetings  are 
especially  tender 
and  helpful.  Dur- 
ing the  great  Christian  Endeavor  National  Con- 
vention of  1897,  held  in  San  Francisco,  the  Chinese 
"White-caps"  were  the  wonder  and  admiration  of 
thousands  of  visiting  Endeavorers.  They  sang  well, 
they  spoke  well  at  the  meetings,  and  by  their  cour- 


YOlNUKSr    KINGS  llAlGlllKK 


A  CHAPTER  OF  EVENTS 


2  I  I 


teous  attention  made  many  friends  among  those 
whom  they  escorted  through  the  Chinese  quarters. 
During  all  the  Convention  week,  it  was  a  veritable 
Chinese  New  Year's  occasion,  minus  the  firecrack- 
ers and  conventional  red  calling  cards,  which  are 
always  in  evidence  at  that  season.  Thousands 
visited  the  missions.  Christian  hymns  were  sung  in 
choruses,  and  by  quartettes  of  the  boys,  and  always 
to  delighted  audiences. 

Dr.  B.  C.  Atterbury,  for  many  years  a  missionary 
in  Paotingfu,  North  China,  came  to  California  for 
the  health  of  his  family.  In  studying  the  need  of 
Chinatown,  he  was  impressed  with  the  necessity  of 
having  some  place  where  the  sick  poor  could  be 
cared  for.  As  the  Doctor  says,  no  charity  has  been 
more  pressing.  The  only  places  where  they  can  be 
put  are  wretched  rooms  called  "  Halls  of  Peace," 
where  the  bones  of  those  who  have  died  are  waiting 
to  be  shipped  back  to  China.  He  first  opened  a  free 
dispensary  in  the  mission,  where  many  indigent  sick 
received  medicine  for  the  body,  and  instruction  in 
the  way  of  salvation.  This  effort,  later,  after  having 
overcome  many  obstacles  which  were  put  in  their 
way,  developed  into  a  sanitarium,  which  is  sup- 
ported by  the  official  and  merchant  classes  of  China- 
town, of  which  Dr.  Atterbury  has  charge.  It  is 
hoped  that  this  will  in  time  result  in  a  well-equipped 
hospital,  similar  to  the  one  he  built  in  Paotingfu, 
and  which  was  destroyed  by  the  Boxers. 

In  1897  Rev.  J.  E.  Gardner  of  Victoria,  received 
an  appointment  from  the  U.  S.  government  as  inter- 


212    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


preter  in  connection  with  the  Custom  House  of  San 
Francisco.  He  became  my  assistant  in  the  mid- 
week and  Sabbath  services.  His  fine  knowledge 
of  the  Chinese  language  gave  him  opportunities 
above  many  for  interesting  the  young  men  in  the 
Gospel. 

A  marked  feature  of  each  year  is  the  Christmas 
entertainment  for  the  children.  The  one  held  in 
1895  was  especially  interesting.  It  was  a  union  of 
all  the  day,  evening,  and  Sunday  schools  of  the  mis- 
sion. The  great  audience  room  was  filled  with 
appreciative  American  and  Chinese  friends.  All 
agreed  that  it  was  the  most  satisfactory  exhibition 
of  progress  in  the  schools  ever  given.  About  two 
hundred  Chinese  children  were  present,  more  than 
half  of  whom  took  part  in  the  exercises.  Bags  of 
candy  were  distributed  to  the  little  ones  to  their 
great  delight.  Twenty-eight  American-born  sons 
and  daughters,  with  waving  of  our  national  colors, 
and  singing  of  our  national  song,  "Columbia,  the 
Gem  of  the  Ocean,"  succeeded  in  bringing  rounds 
of  applause  from  both  Americans  and  Chinese. 
The  Chinese  legation  attended,  and  seemed  to  enjoy 
our  efforts  to  implant  the  lessons  of  American 
patriotism  in  the  minds  of  our  school  children. 

In  1895,  a  graceful  recognition  of  our  quarter 
century  of  work  for  Chinese  was  made  in  the  church 
in  San  Francisco,  by  representatives  of  all  the 
stations.  It  was  interesting  as  a  proof  of  generous, 
Christian  loyalty,  on  the  part  of  a  people  whom 
California's  politicians  have   been  wont   to  call 


A  CHAPTER  OF  EVENTS  213 


ungenerous,  unappreciative,  and  incapable  of 
developing  Christian  qualities. 

Looking  back  over  this  quarter  of  a  century's 
mission  work  in  California,  we  are  impressed  with 
the  fact  that  it  is  marked  by  three  stages  of  prog- 
ress. First,  the  era  of  preparation,  when  we  went 
out  into  highways  and  hedges,  and  compelled  the 
outcasts  to  come  in — by  methods  often  crude  and 
improved.  Then  the  stage  of  organization,  when 
churches  were  organized  and  schools  were  estab- 
lished, when  native  agents  were  trained  and  placed 
in  judiciously-selected  fields;  when  systematic  work 
among  heathen  women  was  inaugurated,  and  when 
the  Christian  women  of  the  churches  were  banded 
together  to  carry  it  forward.  Now  we  are  in  the 
third  or  progressive  stage.  We  have  public  schools 
for  Chinese  children.  We  have  interesting  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  Societies,  both  senior  and  junior, 
with  all  that  belongs  to  such  organizations,  such  as 
banners,  badges,  and  consecration  meetings.  We 
have  an  active  Circle  of  King's  Daughters  for  the 
women,  and  Temperance  and  Red  Cross  Societies 
for  the  children.  There  are  Missionary  Societies 
among  the  men  and  women,  and  a  little  circle  to 
help  the  poor  in  our  day  school.  For  three  years  a 
mission  paper  was  published.  The  assistant  super- 
intendents in  our  Sabbth  schools  are  converts  of  our 
missions;  as  also  are  all  of  the  twelve  elders  of  our 
church.  What  may  we  not  expect  in  the  future  if 
all  these  up-to-date  methods  are  consecrated  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit? 


214    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


One  of  the  interesting  events  of  this  period  was  a 
reception  which  was  given  to  Wu  Ting  Fang,  the 
new  Minister  from  China  to  the  United  States. 
He  arrived  April  12,  1897,  with  a  retinue  of  sixty- 
two  people.  The 
big  button  on  his 
round   black  cap 
sparkled  with  dia- 
monds.   In  dress 
and    manner  he 
showed  himself  a 
man     of  refine- 
.rnent  and  culture. 
The  daily  newspa- 
pers reported  him 
as    having  some 
such  "fads"  as  the 
encouraging  of 
"athletic  games," 
the  "establishing 
of  hospitals," 
"newspapers," 
wu  TING  FANG,  WIFE  AND  SON         "railroads. "  In 

short  he  was 
spoken  of  as  the  "advocate  of  improvements  along 
all  lines  for  conservative  old  China." 

Minister  Wu's  official  life  in  Washington,  espe- 
cially in  the  delicate  position  he  has  held  during 
the  critical  relations  between  the  two  govern- 
ments, has  commended  him  to  the  high  esteem 
of  the  nations.    He  has  done  all  he  could  as  a 


A  CHAPTER  OF  EVENTS 


sincere  and  honorable  man  to  promote  harmony 
and  peace. 

Before  he  left  for  Washington,  the  different 
missions  united  and  gave  Wu  Ting  Fang  a  grand 
reception  in  the  Chinese  Presbyterian  church. 
The  missionaries  and  native  pastoi  s  of  each  mis- 
sion, took  part  in  the  exerci.ses.  A  handsome  Bible 
was  presented  to  him  by  Dr.  Thompson,  of  the 
American  Bible  Society,  and  another  was  given  to 
his  wife  by  the  native  Christian  brethren.  An 
interesting  response  was  made  by  the  minister,  in 
which  he  gave  expression  to  appreciation  of  oirr 
missionary  work.  A  thousand  Chinese  were  pres- 
ent. Fine  music  was  rendered.  The  decorations 
were  most  graceful  and  appropriate.  Those  look- 
ing on  pronounced  the  meeting  a  great  success.  I 
believe  it  was.  God's  Word  shall  not  return  unto 
Him  void.  "The  entrance  of  Thy  Word  giveth 
light." 

"Where  we  see  the  darkness  of  the  mine, 
God  sees  the  diamond  shine ; 
Where  we  can  only  clustering  leaves  behold, 
He  sees  the  bud  they  fold. 
We  only  .see.  the  rude  and  outer  strife, 
God  knows  the  inner  life ; 

And  those  from  whom,  like  Pharisees,  we  shrink, 
With  Christ  may  eat  and  drink." 

The  most  wonderful  event  in  the  Chinese  work  in 
San  Francisco  marks  the  closing  year  of  the  cen- 
tury. As  a  culmination  of  all  the  ill  treatment  of 
this  people  in  former  years,  the  effort  of  the  Board 


2i6    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


of  Health  to  find  the  bubonic  plague  among  them, 
when  reliable  physicians,  missionaries  and  the  Chi- 
nese themselves  k)ieiv  none  existed,  will  go  down  in 
history  as  an  example  of  malignant  race  persecution. 
While  bacteriological  investigations  were  being 
made  on  the  bodies  of  Chinese  dying  with  ordinary 
disease — siich  as  consumption  of  long  standing — fif- 
teen thousand  Chinese  weie  closely  quarantined; 
street  cars  alone  running  through  the  so-called 
infected  quarters  for  several  days.  Three  missions 
are  located  in  the  quarters,  and  three  outside. 
Union  meetings  were  held  in  both  places,  and  were 
largely  attended.  At  the  Presbyterian  Church,  on 
the  outside  border,  services  continued  for  three 
weeks,  and  thousands  heard  the  Gospel.  The  Chi- 
nese were  most  responsive,  and  numbers  gave  their 
names  and  desired  further  instruction.  Bible 
classes  were  formed,  and  such  willingness  to  be 
taught  from  the  Bible  we  have  never  known  before. 

No  resistance  was  offered  on  the  part  of  the  Chi- 
nese to  the  inhuman  treatment  to  which  they  were 
subjected.  Although  all  the  wheels  of  business  and 
trade  were  stopped,  and  many  outrages  committed, 
there  was  no  riot  or  bloodshed.  With  quiet  dignity, 
and  passive  endurance,  these  people  submitted  to 
this  monstrous  injustice,  and  only  contended  for 
their  rights  in  a  lawful  way.  Can  a  parallel  to  this 
patient  endurance  of  wrong  be  found  among  the 
people  of  any  other  nationality? 


XX 


HOW  ONE  CHURCH  WAS  BUILT 

HE  city  of  Sun  Neng  stands  in  the  heart 
of  that  region  from  which  the  hirgest 
part  of  our  Chinese  have  come.  For  a 
time  the  only  chapel  in  that  city  was  a 
little  old  dilapidated  shop,  standing  on 
a  narrow,  obscure  street.  It  was  a  great  grief  to 
our  Christian  young  men  that  their  people  had  no 
place  in  which  to  worship  comfortably.  So  they 
resolved  to  "arise  and  build." 

The  Chinese  have  a  characteristic  way  of  raising 
money  by  means  of  subscription  books.  These  are 
books  a  foot  square,  gotten  up  in  handsome  style, 
printed  in  different  colored  inks,  and  on  different 
styles  of  colored  paper.  An  elaborate  preface  sets 
forth  the  nature  of  the  object  for  which  money  is 
asked.  As  an  incentive  to  giving,  and  to  afford 
assurance  of  the  worthy  character  of  the  object,  a 
few  of  the  largest  and  best-known  givers  have  their 
names  printed  in  each  book,  with  the  amount  which 
they  have  contributed,  before  the  books  are  sent  to 
their  destination.  The  Sun  Neng  books  were  sent 
as  far  as  New  York  and  Boston,  in  fact,  to  every 
point  where  we  had  any  number  of  Christian  men. 

217 


ai8    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


Soon  they  began  to  come  in,  accompanied  by  the 
subscriptions.  In  some  cases  the  entire  wages  of 
one  month  were  given.  The  brethren  entered  very 
warmly  into  the  enterprise,  and  the  sum  of  money 
grew  rapidly  until,  in  1894,  a  sufficient  amount  was 
raised  and  sent  home,  to  warrant  the  purchase  of 
land,  on  which  to  build  the  proposed  chapel. 

At  once  the  news  was  noised  abroad  that  the 
building  of  a  chapel,  where  the  new  doctrine  was  to 
be  preached,  was  contemplated,  and  opposition 
began  to  show  itself.  The  Christians  first  put  up 
a  small  living  room.  No  one  objected  to  that;  but 
when  the  name  "Gospel  Hall"  was  placed  over 
the  entrance,  the  persecution  began.  Rocks  were 
thrown,  the  door  demolished,  and  the  chapel-keeper 
arrested  and  taken  to  the  meeting  place,  or  guild, 
where  he  was  beaten  with  clubs.  The  magistrate 
was  notified,  and  protection  promised,  but,  of 
course  it  was  not  granted.  The  young  chapel-keeper 
needed  medical  treatment  for  his  wounds,  and  one 
day  left  the  building  to  call  tipon  the  doctor.  While 
he  was  absent,  the  mob  entered  the  little  room, 
broke  up  all  the  furniture  and  carried  away  the 
broken  pieces.  Again  the  magistrate  was  sought, 
but  he  refused  to  protect  the  Christians.  One  year 
passed  without  any  effort  being  made  to  rebuild. 
Then  a  meeting  was  held  and  it  was  decided  to 
prepare  the  ground.  Men  were  employed  to  bring 
material  for  the  foundation  from  the  mountains,  but 
they  were  arrested  and  fined  so  heavily  that  all 
building  again  ceased. 


HOW  ONE  CHURCH  WAS  BUILT  221 


Later,  some  parties  accused  the  Christians  of 
having  appropriated  ground  in  the  rear  of  the  lot 
which  did  not  belong  to  them.  This  made  trouble 
and  further  delay,  though  in  reality  they  had  only 
enclosed  the  number  of  feet  called  for  in  their  deed. 
At  last  the  magistrate  consented  to  investigate  the 
mattei,  and  set  stakes  for  the  building,  but  next 
day  he  changed  his  mind  and  would  not  do  it.  Rev. 
Mr.  Fulton  reported  the  matter  to  the  American 
consul  in  Canton,  who  sent  word  to  the  Governor  of 
the  province  of  Kwang-tung  to  have  the  magistrate 
settle  the  difficulty,  and  allow  the  building  to  pro- 
ceed. With  the  assurance  that  this  would  be  done, 
Mr.  Fulton  sent  the  message  to  the  Christians, 
"Begin  the  wall."  And  so  the  outside  wall  was 
begun,  but  very  soon  it  was  demolished.  The 
magistrate  came,  reproved  the  Christians  for  begin- 
ning the  wall  without  permission,  accused  them  of 
violating  the  laws  of  Fung-shui,  and  set  soldiers  to 
guard  the  ground.  Mr.  Fulton  again  brought  the 
matter  before  the  American  consul.  Another  month 
was  consumed-  and  then  word  came  from  "the 
authorities"  that  the  building  should  not  be  erected 
on  the  disputed  ten  or  fifteen  feet.  Things  were 
supposed  to  be  settled,  and  they  again  promised  to 
set  the  stakes,  but  they  found  that  they  would  be 
allowed  to  make  the  buildings  only  fourteen  feet 
six  inches  for  height,  "on  account  of  Fung-shui." 
Again  there  was  trouble,  and  once  more  the  consul 
was  consulted.  Then  persons  were  sent  to  measure 
the  height  of  the  ancestral  halls  in  the  vicinity. 


222    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


They  were  found  to  be  twenty-four  Chinese  or 
thirty  English  feet.  It  was  maintained,  however, 
that  the  church  nnist  be  two  feet  lower,  "or  Fung- 
shui  would  be  disturbed." 

Fiing-shui  is  one  of  the  mightiest  superstitions 
and  delusions  that  ever  possessed  any  people.  Fung 
means  "wind"  and  shui  "water";  and  yet  the  term 
gives  very  little  idea  of  its  real  meaning.  The 
people  believe  that  there  is  an  ethereal,  subtle  prin- 
ciple to  which  they  give  the  name  of  Futig-s/iui,  that 
pervades  the  earth  and  air,  and  has  an  all-embrac- 
ing influence  over  their  fortunes  and  destinies. 
The  Dragon,  which  is  the  national  emblem  of  China, 
is  the  presiding  genius  of  the  system.  He  holds 
control  of  the  lucky  and  unlucky  influences,  and  is 
supposed  to  have  all  power  in  the  giving  or  with- 
holding of  individual  and  national  prosperity.  The 
Dragon  is  seen  in  the  earth  and  in  the  sky.  The 
water  courses  are  his  haunts.  In  the  configuration 
of  the  earth  and  in  the  uneven  line  of  the  mountains 
and  hills  they  discern  his  shape.  A  chain  of  high 
hills  is  supposed  to  afford  him  encircling  protection. 

Hence  great  attention  must  be  paid  to  certain 
rules  in  the  location  of  graves,  or  in  the  building  of 
houses.  Careful  regard  must  be  had  as  to  the  ele- 
vations and  depressions  which  surround  them,  the 
point  of  the  compass  which  they  face,  the  course  of 
the  water  flowing  by,  and  a  hundred  other  things. 
A  house  surrounded  by  higher  structures  is  un- 
lucky. A  door  opening  in  a  wrong  direction  may 
bring  misfortune.    A  high  wall  built  on  a  certain 


HOW  ONE  CHURCH  WAS  BUILT  223 


side  may  ward  off  evil  influence.  The  cutting  of  a 
road,  the  building  of  a  bridge,  or  the  displacing  of  a 
few  feet  of  earth,  may  disturb  ail  the  natural  influ- 
ences of  the  place,  and  ruin  the  fortune  of  a  family. 
When  a  telegraph  line  from  Canton  to  Hong  Kong 
was  being  constructed,  these  superstitious  beliefs 
aroused  great  opposition,  and  a  guard  of  soldiers 


SUN   NKNG  CHURCH  (INTERIOR) 


had  to  be  sent  to  protect  the  workmen.  The  great- 
est obstacle  to  the  building  of  railroads  is  that  it 
will  disturb  the  configuration  of  the  earth,  and 
excite  the  wrath  of  the  Dragon.  It  is  this  which 
has  prevented  the  opening  of  the  rich  mines  of 
coal,  iron,  copper,  silver,  and  gold  which  are  known 
to  exist  in  China. 

In  this  we  see  one  reason  why  the  magistrate 


224    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 

opposed  the  building  of  the  chapel.  But  the  Chris- 
tians refused  to  yield  to  this  superstition ;  especially 
as  there  was  nothing  in  it  in  this  particular  case, 
even  according  to  the  rules  of  Pung-shui. 

The  advice  of  our  consul  was  again  sought;  and 
by  this  time  patience  was  exhausted.  The  magis- 
trate was  removed  and  a  new  one  appointed;  and 
the  church  was  finally  begun.  The  plan  adopted 
called  for  a  building  twenty-four  feet  in  height, 
which  was  the  height  originally  wanted,  and  it  did 
not  interfere  with  Fung-shui. 

The  church  was  nine  months  and  a  half  in  build- 
ing, although  only  four  or  five  months  were  neces- 
sary. Now  the  Kong-Tuk  Lai-pai  Tong,  "Condit 
Church,"  stands  not  alone  as  a  monument  to  the 
faithful  instruction  given  to  these  young  men  in  the 
missions  of  California,  but  also  as  a  monument  to 
the  consecrated  effort  of  the  Chinese  Christians  in 
their  own  land,  and  among  their  own  people.  The 
church  cost  over  six  thousand  Mexican  dollars,  and 
is  the  finest  church  in  the  province. 

Not  only  have  the  Christians  built  this  church, 
but  they  support  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  it. 
They  have  raised  fifteen  hundred  dollars  as  a  per- 
manent fund  for  this  purpose.  They  have  also 
secured  quite  a  sum  toward  the  establishment,  in 
the  rear  of  the  building,  of  a  fine  reading  room 
and  library. 


xxr 


REFLEX  INFLUENCE 

ERILY  a  new  China  has  been  born  with 
the  closing  of  the  old  century.  Old 
China — the  most  conservative  nation  in 
the  world — has  awakened  out  of  her  Rip 
Van  Winkle  sleep  of  ages,  and  is  getting 
ready  to  join  in  the  great  march  of  progress.  Her 
grave-mounds  and  pagodas  are  being  displaced  by 
thousands  of  miles  of  railroads  and  telegraph  lines, 
some  of  which  are  merely  projected,  others  already 
constructed,  as  for  instance  the  railroad  from  the 
Yellow  Sea  to  the  Amoor;  and  many  a  soul  placed  in 
the  grave  with  its  appropriate  body,  must  henceforth 
wander  aimlessly  though  space,  refusing  to  be  exor- 
cised by  these  modern  improvements.  Merchants  are 
no  longer  the  only  transmitters  of  the  mails,  for  does 
not  China  have  her  newly  organized  post-office,  and 
has  she  not  already  joined  the  world's  postal  union? 
Reform  clubs  are  being  formed  among  her  ablest 
scholars,  and  the  payment  of  her  war  indemnity  is 
making  the  development  of  her  large  mineral 
resources  an  immediate  necessity. 

Schools,  colleges  and  universities,  where  western 
science  may  be  freely  taught,  are  being  established ; 
and  manufacturing  interests  are  being  advanced  in 

225 


226    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


many  localities.  Handsome  foreign  cities,  with 
electric  lights,  street  cars,  and  all  the  modern 
improvements,  are  springing  up  everywhere;  while 
steamships  ply  along  the  coast  from  Hong  Kong  to 
New  Chwang,  and  up  the  Yang-tse  to  Ichang. 

While  the  civilizing  power  of  the  world  has 
wrought  great  changes,  Christianity  also  has  made 
its  impress  on  the  Chinese  nation.  Our  efforts  to 
educate  and  evangelize  these  people  in  this  country, 
may  be  regarded  as,  at  least,  a  small  factor  in  the 
great  awakening  of  the  new  China  of  to-day.  It  has 
a  reflex  influence  the  full  measure  of  which  it  would 
be  difficult  to  estimate. 

We  cannot  expect  that  China's  movements  will  be 
all  of  a  forward  character.  There  will  be  ebbings 
of  the  tide,  as  the  "Boxer"  outbreak  proves. 
Uprisings,  revolutions,  changes  of  dynasty,  and 
even  of  government,  may  come.  Notwithstanding 
these  checks,  the  current  of  such  a  mighty  stream 
of  population  must  be,  when  once  fully  started, 
onward  and  upward.  The  great  mass  will  be  at 
fii  st  hard  to  start,  and  it  will  move  slowly.  But 
when  fairly  begun,  this  great  nation  which,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  has,  for  reasons  unknown  to  us, 
been  kept  in  isolation  throughout  the  centuries,  will 
move  on  to  its  destined  goal  with  ever  accelerating 
speed. 

Not  fewer  than  nine  hundred  converts  have  been 
baptized  in  the  Presbyterian  missions  of  California 
alone ;  and  more  than  four  times  that  number  in  the 
different  missions  here  and  in  other  parts  of  the 


REFLEX  INFLUENCE 


227 


United  States.  Tens  of  thousands  have  also  been 
instructed  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  The 
results  of  all  this  in  helping  to  Christianize  Southern 
China  is  the  brightest  and  most  hopeful  phase  of 
the  work. 

The  account  of  "How  one  church  was  built"  is 
not  a  solitary  instance  of  the  good  done  by  the  Chi- 
nese converts  of  our  land.  Many  of  them  have 
returned  home  to  live  permanently,  and  nearly  all 
expect  to  do  so  in  the  future;  consequently  their 
hearts  are  turning  more  and  more  toward  the  duty 
of  transplanting  in  China  the  seed  which  has  been 
sown  among  them  here.  They  do  not  often  leave 
their  religion  behind,  but,  as  a  rule,  take  it  back 
home  with  them. 

Rev.  Dr.  Noyes,  who  has  been  a  missionary  in 
China  for  over  thirty  years,  said  several  years  ago, 
"Nearly  all  the  Chinese  in  the  United  States  come 
from  four  districts  in  the  Canton  province.  Twenty- 
five  years  ago  there  was  not  a  Christian  chapel  or 
school  in  all  that  region.  Now  there  are  few  places 
in  these  districts  where  there  is  not  a  mission  chapel 
within  a  distance  the  Chinese  can  easily  walk.  Of 
these  chapels  we  have  six  [now  more].  Every  one 
of  these  sites  was  obtained  by  the  help  of  Christians 
who  had  returned  from  California.  Of  the  thirteen 
native  assistants  who  have  labored  at  these  stations, 
six  were  converted  in  California,  one  in  Australia, 
and  one  received  his  first  serious  impressions  from 
a  member  of  the  Chinese  Church  in  California,  on 
the  steamer  crossing  the  Pacific." 


228    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  vSEE  HIM 


Since  this  was  written,  the  interest  of  our  Chinese 
Christians  in  spreading  the  Gospel  in  their  home 
land  has  greatly  increased.  Much  has  been  done 
in  building  chapels,  and  in  sustaining  heralds  of 
the  Cross.  There  is  nothing  in  which  their  hearts, 
touched  with  the  love  of  Christ,  take  more  delight. 
They  will  spend  the  late  hours  of  night,  after  a  hard 
day's  work,  in  devising  ways  and  means  to  plant 


DRACON  PROCESSION 


the  Cross  in  their  native  towns  and  villages.  Many 
have  more  than  once  given  a  month's  wages;  some 
two  and  even  three,  for  this  loved  object. 

Fifteen  years  ago  this  kind  of  work  was  begun  by 
giving  fifteen  hundred  dollars  for  the  erection  of  a 
church  in  Canton  city,  which  is  called  Tsz-li-tii. 
"Self-governing  Church."  Later  on,  three  thou- 
sand two  hundred  dollars  were  raised,  principally  in 
California,  and  invested  as  an  endowment  fund,  to 


REFLEX  INFLUENCE 


229 


support  a  pastor  in  this  Tsz-li-ui,  and  also  a  colpor- 
teur to  labor  in  the  country  districts.  In  all  the 
principal  stations  of  this  coast,  there  is  a  Sun  Neng 
Missionary  Society,  established  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  supporting  a  pastor  and  teacher  in  the  Con- 
dit  Church.  There  is  also  another  society  which 
sustains  a  colporteur  in  the  field.  Ten  years  ago  a 
union  chapel  was  built  in  Ku  Tsing,  in  the  Sun  Ui 
district,  which  has  since  passed  by  purchase  into 
Presbyterian  hands,  it  being  agreed  that  it  was  far 
better  for  some  one  denomination  to  have  the  con- 
trol of  it. 

In  1898,  eight  hundred  Mexican  dollars  —  to 
which  two  hundred  have  since  been  added  —  were 
subscribed  for  a  church  in  the  large  market  town  of 
No  Foo,  where  many  of  our  men  have  their  homes. 
Now  there  is  a  fine  chapel  completed  there.  Assist- 
ance has  also  been  freely  given  for  the  securing  of 
other  places  of  worship  at  Ko  Yow,  Sha  Tui,  Kum 
U,  and  at  a  number  of  other  places.  More  than  the 
half  of  a  two  thousand  dollar  fund  in  gold  has  already 
been  raised  for  the  erection  of  a  fine  church  in  the 
large  market  town  of  Chick  H'om,  in  the  Hoi  Peng 
district,  from  which  place  many  of  our  active  Chris- 
tians have  come.  Chick  Hom  is  a  great  sugar  and 
pork  center,  and  carries  on  a  great  trade  with  Can- 
ton and  other  cities.  It  is  proposed,  as  soon  as  the 
Chick  Hom  project  is  completed,  to  build  a  large 
church  in  Sun  Ui,  with  its  three  hundred  thousand 
souls. 

Other  denominations  besides  the  Presbyterians 


230    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


are  also  engaged  in  this  grand  work.  The  Congre- 
gationalisLs  have  either  completed,  or  are  engaged 
in  building,  four  chapels  in  important  centers.  The 
Baptists  and  Methodists  are  engaged  in  the  same 
work.  Dr.  Masters  testifies  to  the  increasing  num- 
ber of  churches  erected  by  these  returned  emigrants 
in  their  native  towns  and  villages,  and  to  the 
decadence  of  idolatry.  This  is  acknowledged  even 
by  Chinese  unbelievers.  And  as  Dr.  Masters  says, 
"All  this  attests  the  reflex  action  of  the  work  in 
California  upon  the  broader  mission  field  beyond 
the  seas. " 

The  Chinese  Sunday  school  of  Dr.  John  Hall's 
church  in  New  York,  is  planting  the  Gospel  in  Ha 
Lo,  about  eighty  miles  southeast  of  Canton,  in  the 
Sun  Ui  district.  In  1887  Dr.  Hall  baptized  a  convert, 
Chu  Horn,  who  soon  returned  to  his  home  in  Ha 
Lo,  and  began  preaching  the  Gospel,  leading  many 
to  become  followers  of  Christ.  An  intelligent 
Chinaman,  who  is  not  a  professing  Christian,  said 
to  Miss  Hall,  "About  two  years  more,  all  Ha  Lo 
be  Christian."  Money  which  the  Chinese  of  New 
York  were  raising  for  a  church  here  has  been  si:p- 
plemented  by  a  thousand  dollars  in  gold  from  one  of 
Dr.  Hall's  devoted  people,  and  there  is  to  be  built  at 
once  "The  Dr.  John  Hall's  Memorial  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Ha  Lo. " 

Rev.  Mr.  Fulton  says,  that  of  the  twenty-five 
native  helpers  who  have  worked  with  him,  twenty 
had  been  connected  with  Chinese  Sunday  schools 
in  America;  and  he  further  says  that  through  their 


REFLEX  INFLUENCE  231 

united  labor  he  has,  durinj^-  the  last  mission  year, 
baptized  nearly  four  hundred  converts  in  these  dis- 
tricts. 

Who  can  doubt  in  the  presence  of  these  testi- 
monies that  a  work  is  being  done  among  the 
Chinese  in  this  country  which  is  bringing  untold 
blessing  not  only  to  individual  sonls,  but  through 
them  to  the  teeming  millions  in  the  dark  land  from 
which  they  came? 

Rev.  Mr.  White,  who  labored  for  years  in  the 
very  part  of  Canton  province  from  which  our  Chi- 
nese have  come,  has  said,  "Time  was  when  those 
who  had  made  profession  of  Christ  in  other  countries 
did  not  dare  to  confess  it  at  home  among  their  own 
kin.  But  it  is  not  so  now.  Such  immense  numbers 
of  them  have  seen  with  wondering  eyes  the  incredi- 
ble prosperity  of  Christian  countries,  that  they  have 
lost  considerable  faith  in  their  idols.  Though  they 
are  not  Christians,  they  are  bound  to  acknowledge 
the  truth  of  Christianity.  It  is  difficult  in  some 
places  to  secure  funds  necessary  for  idolatrous  cer- 
emonies. Many  of  the  ancestral  temples  have  no 
tablets  and  no  incense  now.  I  spent  a  night  in  the 
house  of  an  elder  of  the  Chinese  Church  in  San 
Francisco.  He  had  been  building  a  new  house, 
and  in  the  place  where  the  heathen  place  a  shrine — 
before  which  incense  is  lighted — he  had  put  the 
Creed,  the  Ten  Commandments,  and  the  Lord's 
Prayer. ' ' 

China  is  making  history  very  fast  in  this  last  year 
of  the  nineteenth  century.    What  the  dawn  of  the 


232    THE  CHINAMAN  AS  WE  SEE  HIM 


new  century  may  reveal,  who  can  foretell?  To-day, 
surrounded  by  the  armies  and  navies  of  the  world, 
to-morrow  she  may  be  the  spoil  of  the  nations, 
or  the  rock  upon  which  they  shall  split.  However 
events  may  turn  we  still  believe  that  the  contact  of 
the  Chinese  with  this  civilized  Christian  country, 
together  with  the  instruction  which  many  of  them 
have  received,  will  be  no  mean  power  in  the  uproot- 
ing- of  old  superstitions  and  in  the  bringing  in  of 
the  new  age.  They  will  continue  to  form  new 
organizing  centers  among  their  fathers,  kindred,  and 
friends,  and  will  prove  to  be  not  the  least  among  the 
forces  which  are  destined  to  bring  China  to  Christ. 
Of  them  it  shall  yet  be  said : 

"Behold,  these  shall  come  from  far;  and 
Lo,  these  from  the  north  and  from  the  west ;  and 
These  from  THE  LAND  OF  SINIM." 


A  SUMMARY. 


The  accompanying  summary  has  been  made  from 
a  general  knowledj^e  of  the  Chinese  in  our  country, 
and  of  mission  work  among  them.  It  does  not  pro- 
fess to  be  more  than  approximately  accurate. 

The  present  number  of  Cbinese  in  the  United 

States   loo.ooo 

Of  these  there  are  in  San  Francisco   i8,ooo   

On  Pacific  Coast  outside  of  San  Francisco,  54,000   

In  other  States  and  Territories   28,000   

Whole  number  of  Chinese  Christians  in  United 

States  from  the  beginning,  divided  between 

the  four  principal    denominations,  to-wit: 

the  Presbyterians,  Methodists,  Congrega- 
tional ists,  and  Baptists,  with  a  few  in  other 

denominations   4,000 

The  present  number  of  Christian  Chinese  in 

the  United  States  of  all  denominations   1,600 

Of  these  there  are  in  San  Francisco   600   

In  other  parts  Pacific  Coast   500   

In  other  States   500   

Number  of  evening  schools  in  the  United 

States   50 

Number  of  scholars  in  attendance  during  one 

year   3,700 

Of  these  there  are  in  San  Francisco   1,000   

In  other  parts  Pacific  Coast   1,200   

In  other  States   1,500   

Number  of  Chinese  Sunday-Schools  in  United 

States   75 

Scholars  in  attendance  during  one  year   2,500 

Whole  number  of  Chinese  born  in  the  United 

States  ,'  3,000 

Number  of  children  in  Mission  and  Public 

Schools   500 

Number  of  lay  preachers  converted  in  the 

United  States  who  have  labored  both  here 

and  in  China   60 

Number  of  ordained  Chinese  ministers  who 

were  converted  in  the  United  States   12 

W^hole  amount  given  by  the  Chinese  in  the 

United  States  for  building  of  chapels,  and 

for  Christian  work  in  their  native  land  {Mexi- 
can dollars)   $60,000 


233 


DATE  DUE 

— SHaEps 

WitZ  

CAVuoao 

rniNTKO  IN  U.S.A. 

BW4Ut)0  ,CbC7 

The  Chinaman  as  we  see  him, 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1  1012  00017  1175 


